An activist history teacher failed a Seattle student on a quiz for saying only women can get pregnant and that only men have penises.
A 10th grade Ethnic Studies World History teacher at Chief Sealth International High School in Seattle gave students a quiz titled, “Understanding Gender vs. Sex.” The quiz provided a series of statements to label true or false, or questions with multiple choices.
Many of the questions focused on personal pronoun use (When someone uses ‘they/them’ pronouns, what does that mean about their gender identity?”) or assumptions one may make around gender identity (“True/false: Transgender people are gay”). Two questions, however, are objectively false, but students are taught the opposite.
Question 4 was a true or false question with the statement, “All men have penises.” The student labeled the statement “true” since it is, in fact, true. But the teacher penalized the answer, marking it incorrect. The teacher claims women can have a penis.
Similarly, Question 7 was a true or false question with the statement, “Only women can get pregnant.” Again, the student marked the statement “true” because only women can get pregnant. Again, the teacher penalized the student, insisting the answer is false. The teacher believes men can get pregnant.
Student’s mom is concerned
The student’s mother wrote to the Jason Rantz Show on KTTH expressing “frustration and anger.” She says she expressed concerns to the school, but was “met with silence.”
“I keep trying to wrap my head around how it is legal to teach inaccurate information and force students to answer against their beliefs or receive negative scores,” she said to the Jason Rantz Show on KTTH. She asked for anonymity for fear her son would face retribution.
The mom told the Jason Rantz Show on KTTH that she worries about the school routinely allowing teachers to bring political beliefs into the classroom. The gender identity issue is just one example. She also said her child, who is white, routinely faces scrutiny for his skin color and so-called privilege.
She said various teachers have called her son, “f****d and racist,” a “product of the patriarchy that teaches young boys not to care about anything,” and that “he shouldn’t use the term straight to identify as because its offensive.”
District defends politically motivated quiz
Seattle Public Schools, through a spokesperson, defended the quiz as “inclusive,” arguing it was appropriate for an Ethnic Studies course.
“Seattle Public Schools is dedicated to establishing inclusive environments that allow exploration of contemporary issues, specifically examining the impacts of power systems such as racism and patriarchy,” the spokesperson said to the Jason Rantz Show on KTTH. “This commitment extends to fostering welcoming and inclusive settings where students, staff, and families have the freedom to express their authentic selves.”
The spokesperson said the quiz was in line with state and local guidelines covering such topics. But it’s not clear how this unscientific lesson around gender identity was connected to world history.
Read more at: mynorthwest.com