SUMMARY:
In the article that I read, it explained how around 1,000 students in the Denver suburban area participated in one of the largest students demonstrations this past Wednesday. Their protest was directed against a plan proposed by Julie Williams and her conservative board that was planning “to focus class material on topics that promote patriotism and respect for authority while discouraging civil disorder.” The plan just recently was approved. Many argue that this would create a balanced learning environment. If the plan was to follow through, committees would have to review all the texts that would be in the classrooms. Students are not being punished for their civil disobedience and their voices are being heard. Even earlier than the students’ protest was the teachers’ protest. Teachers who were also upset about the plan staged a “sick-out” shutting down two school. Many such as Jefferson County School Superintendent Dan McMinimee think the students are uniformed and not fully aware of what they are fighting for.
ANALYSIS:
I agree with the students because I wouldn’t want my education to be limited or changed especially since students up until this point have been learning the material without it being filtered. This article reminds me of the topic of banned books. People everywhere testify some of the greatest novels to be banned, but everyone should have the right to learn and read what they want. I feel that the same concept applies in this situation. If the students feel the need to protest against the plan, it shows how strongly they feel about the topic.
Students protest at busy intersection against approved plan. http://chronicle.northcoastnow.com/
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
- Do you agree with Julie Williams’s plan and would you want to go to a class with those boundaries?
- Are the students voices just as valid as the adults and committee members? Do you agree with McMinimee?
LINK TO ARTICLE: https://www.newsela.com/articles/costudent-protests/id/5364/
I disagree with Julie Willaims's plan because as you said, the students' education should not be filtered or changed. I think that the students should not be limited to what they are taught because in some instances, lessons that include violence or civil disobedience are vital in successfully learning about a certain subject.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that i wouldn't want my education to be limited, but I believe they didn't have to go to extent they went with protesting when their school was just trying to help the students' education
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ReplyDeleteI wrote about this article and I agree with your stance. The teachers are trying to sensor the learing and all the students want is the truth. Their protests are also a great, patriotic way to deal with the problem.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Julie Williams because I feel that only one kid actually felt strong about the protest, and the other kids tagged along to miss school.
ReplyDeleteI really like how you brought up the idea of banned books and how they are not allowing the right to learn. Also I think it's important how you brought up the teachers' strike. I think that students shouldn't be limited to what they're taught because in some cases there are very important lessons to be learned.
ReplyDeleteI think that the student protest was a great decision becuase the students stood up for themselves! And, the students voices are definitely as powerful as the teachers, maybe even more powerful. I think this because the teachers need to know where the students are at and what they understand.
ReplyDeleteI believe that limiting a students acquisition of knowledge is absurd. What this plan is stating is that the atrocities of the U.S. would be hidden by the good it has done. Like that "American" soldiers in the revolutionary war were all do-gooders, when many of them were driven by greed. So I most certainly agree this is a ridiculous plan.
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