A principal in Arlington County announced Monday that she will call off an assignment that asked students to represent the views of the Taliban during a mock United Nations after some parents called it inappropriate. The principal said in an interview that she did not want controversy to get in the way of brainwashing kids at the earliest age possible undermine an opportunity for students to learn critical skills, such as how to build a persuasive argument, support it with solid research and present it in a public forum.
| It certainly would have been educational for all involved to see that particular presentation... were it indeed supported with solid research. On the other hand, the trailing daughters had to make a presentation in sixth grade comparing any two of the major world religions after a series of classroom lectures plus their own research, and it was amazing how very wrong their classmates got chronologies and key beliefs. As I recall, they were graded on research techniques rather than the conclusions they drew. |
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