School gets flak for assignment requiring girls to obey, cook for male classmates
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A “chivalry day” assignment for students in a Texas high school was heavily criticized after images of the lesson spread online.
The “Rules for Chivalry” that were part of the assignment required the girls to cook or bring drinks to their male classmates, as seen in a copy of the homework tweeted by Brandi Addison Davis of Dallas Morning News on March 3.
It also required female students to be obedient to the boys in their class.
Here’s a really … interesting … assignment on chivalry from @shallowaterisd. They are requiring the female students to lower their heads and curtsy for men; clean up after men; cook for and bring a drink to the men’s class. This goes on for the entire day … even at home. pic.twitter.com/i81Zr2iAva
— Brandi D. Addison Davis 🗞 (@BrandiDAddison) March 3, 2021
The goal of the assignment was to “demonstrate to the school how the code of chivalry and standards set in the medieval concept of courtly love carries over into the modern day,” as stated in the lesson sheet given to students.
There were also some rules that male students had to adhere to for the assignment, but they required boys to be less subservient compared to the girls.
Davis shared the rules that male students had to observe in a follow-up tweet on March 5. Some of the rules include picking up dropped items for females, calling them “milady” and paying for all expenses if they go out for a date.
People keep asking, so yes, here’s the assignment for the male students. You can compare them. pic.twitter.com/sIzA8J8PIJ
— Brandi D. Addison Davis 🗞 (@BrandiDAddison) March 5, 2021
Some netizens who replied to Davis’ tweet believe the assignment was a review of the gender roles that prevailed during medieval times, which shouldn’t be considered offensive. However, some were quick to complain, saying the teacher had the wrong concept of chivalry no matter what the intent.
“This assignment has been reviewed, and despite its historical context, it does not reflect our district and community values. The matter has been addressed with the teacher and the assignment was removed,” Shallowater Independent School District said in a statement sent to Lubbock Avalanche-Journal reporter Adam Young on March 4.
The school district did not clarify which classes were intended to take part in the assignment or the lesson they were expected to get from it. Dana Cruz/JB
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