Furious Mother Takes to Facebook After Daughter Receives Religious Homework Questions
A high school assignment in Oklahoma has ignited a firestorm of controversy and debate just a week into the new school year. The assignment, titled “How did the world start?”, was given to a new student and contained provocative questions about religion that have left parents and educators questioning its appropriateness.
Earlier this month, Olivia Gray, a student’s mother, took to Facebook to share her daughter Nettie’s world history homework. The assignment asked students to ponder deeply philosophical and religious questions such as “Is God real?”, “Is Satan real?”, and “What does it mean to be a Christian?”. Furthermore, the students were required to answer these questions with sources cited in APA (American Psychological Association) style.
The inclusion of such questions in a high school assignment has sparked significant backlash. Critics argue that asking high school students to tackle such complex and personal topics is inappropriate and potentially intrusive.
Olivia Gray expressed her outrage in a Facebook post, stating, “This is one of Nettie’s assignments for World History class. It’s being called a research paper. This is some crazy sh*t overall and also on a technical level. Literally the kid had been in school one week.”
Public Reaction
The post quickly went viral, amassing 375 reactions, 633 comments, and 477 shares. Many users voiced their concerns and criticisms of the assignment:
- Jenna Walkingstick commented, “I would love to see the teacher’s grading rubric… that’s an assignment I would struggle with as a college level student. What are the “right” answers? I don’t think I even wanna know.”
- Lisa Lawson-Wallace added, “So now she is being forced to spill her personal beliefs and will be graded on such?”
- Jane Maslanka, a fellow educator, remarked, “This is insane. What sources is she supposed to use? I’m a teacher–and a challenging one. I have no trouble with a high school student (or even an upper middle school student) starting a research paper in week one. But this assignment is absolutely wack. I never thought I’d say this, but she’d be better off at Catholic School!”
The controversy over the assignment has sparked a broader conversation about the boundaries of educational content and the appropriateness of discussing religion in public school assignments. As the debate continues, many are left wondering how such assignments are developed and approved within the educational system.
The incident underscores the challenges educators face in creating assignments that are both educational and respectful of students’ diverse backgrounds and beliefs. It remains to be seen what actions, if any, the school will take in response to the outcry from parents and the public.