Controversial World History Assignment at Oklahoma High School Sparks Debate

A high school in Oklahoma has recently sparked controversy with a world history assignment given to a student just one week into the school year. The assignment, shared by Olivia Gray on Facebook, included provocative questions such as “Is God real?”, “Is Satan real?”, and “What does it mean to be a Christian?”. Students were required to answer these questions and provide APA-style sources to support their responses.

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The assignment has raised concerns about its appropriateness for high school students. Gray expressed her frustration, 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. The kid had been in school one week”.

Reactions to the post have been mixed. Jenna Walkingstick questioned the assignment’s grading criteria, commenting, “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 expressed concern over the personal nature of the questions, stating, “So now she is being forced to spill her personal beliefs and will be graded on such?”

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Jane Maslanka, a teacher herself, criticized the assignment’s suitability, remarking, “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 assignment’s controversial nature has ignited a broader discussion about the role of personal beliefs in educational settings and the appropriateness of such assignments for high school students.