The lesson was discussing the role of gender in the book for 8-12 year olds Jude Saves the World[1]? What am I missing? That sounds like a normal thing for a class to do.
If you're genuinely surprised by this you haven't been paying attention.
snailmailman•24m ago
A student filmed the class, and asked the professor if it was legal to teach the class content. Class content that mentions the existence of gender.
The video went viral, and the professor and multiple school administrators have been fired as a result.
As far as I can tell, it is probably legal, and also aligns with school policy. The current government of Texas is trying very hard to change that.
kelseyfrog•21m ago
Sorry, I'm not trying to be dense, but I'm not understanding the connection between the video going viral and staff being fired. The university could simply choose to do nothing? I feel like I'm missing something about the situation and the levers of power.
snailmailman•8m ago
The video going viral brought the matter to the attention of texas government officials. The government officials strongly disagree with the content of the course.
It is a publicly funded school, and the government has some power to influence it, mainly control of funding. They likely could put up a fight, but government officials were threatening to fire various school administrators. They likely can’t actually do that directly, it would require a few steps, but the school doesn’t want to put up the fight I guess.
It’s the government censoring what gets taught at universities. Texas has been doing similar things at public schools too, but this is a university, which usually has more freedom in what gets taught.
kelseyfrog•6m ago
Thank you for explaining the connection. The content of the book or the discussion is a big threat to the people in power in Texas?
kelseyfrog•39m ago
1. https://www.scholastic.ca/our-books/book/jude-saves-the-worl...
deciduously•27m ago
snailmailman•24m ago
The video went viral, and the professor and multiple school administrators have been fired as a result.
As far as I can tell, it is probably legal, and also aligns with school policy. The current government of Texas is trying very hard to change that.
kelseyfrog•21m ago
snailmailman•8m ago
It is a publicly funded school, and the government has some power to influence it, mainly control of funding. They likely could put up a fight, but government officials were threatening to fire various school administrators. They likely can’t actually do that directly, it would require a few steps, but the school doesn’t want to put up the fight I guess.
It’s the government censoring what gets taught at universities. Texas has been doing similar things at public schools too, but this is a university, which usually has more freedom in what gets taught.
kelseyfrog•6m ago