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> The new Benchmarks for Excellent Student Thinking include lists of books that might be included on the state competency exam. To give students a better chance

> The new Benchmarks for Excellent Student Thinking include lists of books that might be included on the state competency exam. To give students a better chance of mastering the material, the district switched to one novel and excerpts from five to seven different books, including plays. So the change has absolutely nothing to do with Florida's rules banning sexual materials. This seems like someone choosing to use this unrelated change to push their political narrative. I don't think there's much interesting or intellectually satisfying about this.

BugsJustFindMe 3y ago
It's hard for me to see how you've reached that conclusion. > “It was also in consideration of the law,” said school district spokeswoman Tanya Arja, referring to the newly expanded Parental Rights in Education Act. The measure, promoted and signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis, tells schools to steer clear of content and class discussion that is sexual in nature unless it is related to a standard, such as health class. > Students will be assigned pages from the classics, which might include “Macbeth,” “Hamlet” and the time-honored teen favorite, “Romeo and Juliet.” But if they want to read them in their entirety, they will likely have to do it on their own time. > “There’s some raunchiness in Shakespeare,” said Joseph Cool, a reading teacher at Gaither High School. “Because that’s what sold tickets during his time.” In staying with excerpts, the schools can teach about Shakespeare while avoiding anything racy or sexual. > But teachers are advised, during class lessons, to stay with the approved guidelines, which call for excerpts. If not, in extreme circumstances, they might have to defend themselves against a parent complaint or a disciplinary case at their school.
- meragrin_ 3y ago
  > unless it is related to a standard "MacBeth", "Hamlet", and "Romeo and Juliet" are literally in the standard: https://www.fldoe.org/core/fileparse.php/7539/urlt/elabeststandardsfinal.pdf https://www.fldoe.org/core/fileparse.php/7539/urlt/elabestst... They are being petty, lazy, or deliberately malicious.
  - BugsJustFindMe 3y ago
    I think you're mischaracterizing. The full statement is > "content and class discussion that is sexual in nature unless it is related to a standard, such as health class" "sexual in nature" is the essential attribute that must be related to the standard. We know this for two reasons: 1) because it is specifically clarified by the phrase "such as health class" 2) because we have read the legislation in question and the Florida state Department of Education's statements on what they allow and don't allow Sexuality is not related to a standard for english class. It may be related to a standard for a health class, but health classes also don't tend to study Shakespeare. > "MacBeth", "Hamlet", and "Romeo and Juliet" are in https://www.fldoe.org/core/fileparse.php/7539/urlt/elabeststandardsfinal.pdf https://www.fldoe.org/core/fileparse.php/7539/urlt/elabestst... Which forces them to use excerpts instead of nothing at all. The Florida DoE literally just the other day handed down an edict that AP Psych classes weren't allowed to cover gender and sexual orientation, and had to be slapped by the College Board with a reminder, as if knowing this somehow isn't literally the state DoE's job, that the College Board requires it to be included for the course to count, forcing the DoE to backpedal.

BugsJustFindMe 3y ago

It's hard for me to see how you've reached that conclusion. > “It was also in consideration of the law,” said school district spokeswoman Tanya Arja, referring to the newly expanded Parental Rights in Education Act. The measure, promoted and signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis, tells schools to steer clear of content and class discussion that is sexual in nature unless it is related to a standard, such as health class. > Students will be assigned pages from the classics, which might include “Macbeth,” “Hamlet” and the time-honored teen favorite, “Romeo and Juliet.” But if they want to read them in their entirety, they will likely have to do it on their own time. > “There’s some raunchiness in Shakespeare,” said Joseph Cool, a reading teacher at Gaither High School. “Because that’s what sold tickets during his time.” In staying with excerpts, the schools can teach about Shakespeare while avoiding anything racy or sexual. > But teachers are advised, during class lessons, to stay with the approved guidelines, which call for excerpts. If not, in extreme circumstances, they might have to defend themselves against a parent complaint or a disciplinary case at their school.

meragrin_ 3y ago
> unless it is related to a standard "MacBeth", "Hamlet", and "Romeo and Juliet" are literally in the standard: https://www.fldoe.org/core/fileparse.php/7539/urlt/elabeststandardsfinal.pdf https://www.fldoe.org/core/fileparse.php/7539/urlt/elabestst... They are being petty, lazy, or deliberately malicious.
- BugsJustFindMe 3y ago
  I think you're mischaracterizing. The full statement is > "content and class discussion that is sexual in nature unless it is related to a standard, such as health class" "sexual in nature" is the essential attribute that must be related to the standard. We know this for two reasons: 1) because it is specifically clarified by the phrase "such as health class" 2) because we have read the legislation in question and the Florida state Department of Education's statements on what they allow and don't allow Sexuality is not related to a standard for english class. It may be related to a standard for a health class, but health classes also don't tend to study Shakespeare. > "MacBeth", "Hamlet", and "Romeo and Juliet" are in https://www.fldoe.org/core/fileparse.php/7539/urlt/elabeststandardsfinal.pdf https://www.fldoe.org/core/fileparse.php/7539/urlt/elabestst... Which forces them to use excerpts instead of nothing at all. The Florida DoE literally just the other day handed down an edict that AP Psych classes weren't allowed to cover gender and sexual orientation, and had to be slapped by the College Board with a reminder, as if knowing this somehow isn't literally the state DoE's job, that the College Board requires it to be included for the course to count, forcing the DoE to backpedal.