The thing I find most ufrstrating about most educationally-related decisions, read judgments, is that so many people make so much noise to the effect that any particular decision is simple or dichotomous. Rarely, if ever, is a decision made by any educator at any level only "x' or "not "x", or without cause and/or effect. This one is very much in the news at the moment, and again we have the black and white pundits (what's more extreme than armchair-quarterbacking?) engaged what is in effect reductio ad absurdum.
This head-above-the-parapet moment again relates to books. I do not have any knowledge of this particular situation other than what is reported, however I have been involved in text (and task) selection.
Here we have two factors at play, in addition to the educational aims and objectives of the district, school or teacher. The first is what lies behind an adoption and the second is the target or age(s) of the students.
Taking the second first, the audience here is Middle School which as every teacher will tell you, is a difficult age, Some MSers are still your sweet, naive, loves-mommy adorables. Others are fully engaged in the sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll associated with those much older. Some are still marveling at the magic of the matchstick; others are exploring its destructive opportunities.
My point is that no student or groups of students are the same, and that no book or topic or idea can be arbitrarily assigned or proscribed.
Linked to this is the reality that again and again and again, teachers know their students better than do those students' parents. Equally frequently, teachers know what those students need better than their parents, which is of course a minefield for all involved. In the elementary years, this is generally not as much of an issue as it becomes in the Middle School years. Again, what is best for one is not necessarily best for another and government, society, or parents may not be best for deciding, These decisions are not coin-like in nature.
The first factor, here the second, relates to who says what book (or topic or idea) is best for which audience, Personally, I believe that Grade 10 should read Macbeth and have always assigned Macbeth as a Grade 10 text. Every time, I have had some students fly through the text, while others have struggled. I have had some see Macbeth as the key to a magical world; others were unable to relate, although our class activities did at least open some windows in those cases.
However, I have also had colleagues assert that Grade 10 students cannot access the Scottish Play, and should not until college at least.
In the news piece referenced here, a group of people who have spent years in study, reflection and consideration have said "Book x is right for group y", and based on my experience, this has been supported by multiple real-life uses and applications. Districts, schools and teachers rely on these experts, who know what they are doing, every day in every aspect of what they do. Who amongst us has bench-tested the LEDs replacing the fluorescents which in turn replaced the incandescents, the mantles and the candles?
Not to mention that the target is an average, meaning that there are those above for whom a given book is too low and those below for whom it is too high.
I don't know the ins and outs of this particular contretemps, but I do know that nothing in education is either/or, and that we should not rush to condemn a teacher, school or district if we do not like or understand a decision.
**Please leave comments and queries below**
Further reading
https://news.yahoo.com/gemini-middle-school-assignment-parents-211900187.html
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