Texas school's "chivalry" assignment told girls to dress to please men

[essentialsaltes]

A "chivalry" assignment given to students at Shallowater High School in Texas instructed girls to "dress in a feminine manner" to please men, "walk behind men daintily as if their feet were bound," and "not complain or whine."

The list states, "Ladies must address all men respectfully by title, with a lowered head and curtsy," and "Ladies must never criticize a male." It also says "ladies" must not initiate conversations with males, or "show intellectual superiority" outside the classroom "if it would offend the men around them." It also says they must cook for the "gentlemen in their class" and should clean up after the men.

"Ladies must obey any reasonable request of a male. If not sure if it is considered reasonable, ladies can check with their teachers," one of the rules reads.

I love that the teacher had enough reflection to add "Must be within school dress code" to the instruction to dress to please men, but not enough reflection to figure out what a terrible idea this whole thing was.

 

[Ignatius the Kiwi]

Based.

 

[durangodawood]

Ladies shall also ride to school side-saddle only.

 

[essentialsaltes]

Meanwhile... in Missouri... It's not just for History Class!

Pastor tells women to look pretty or husbands will stray in sermon to Missouri church

A Missouri pastor is on leave after delivering a sermon telling women to lose weight and submit to the sexual desires of their husbands to keep them from straying.

“Now look, I’m not saying every woman can be the epic — the epic – trophy wife of all time like Melania Trump. I’m not saying that at all. Most women can’t be trophy wives, but you know ... maybe you’re a participation trophy,”

 

[Paulos23]

Meanwhile... in Missouri... It's not just for History Class!

Pastor tells women to look pretty or husbands will stray in sermon to Missouri church

A Missouri pastor is on leave after delivering a sermon telling women to lose weight and submit to the sexual desires of their husbands to keep them from straying.

“Now look, I’m not saying every woman can be the epic — the epic – trophy wife of all time like Melania Trump. I’m not saying that at all. Most women can’t be trophy wives, but you know ... maybe you’re a participation trophy,”

Like women are trophies.

 

[SarahsKnight]

A "chivalry" assignment given to students at Shallowater High School in Texas instructed girls to "dress in a feminine manner" to please men, "walk behind men daintily as if their feet were bound," and "not complain or whine."

The list states, "Ladies must address all men respectfully by title, with a lowered head and curtsy," and "Ladies must never criticize a male." It also says "ladies" must not initiate conversations with males, or "show intellectual superiority" outside the classroom "if it would offend the men around them." It also says they must cook for the "gentlemen in their class" and should clean up after the men.

"Ladies must obey any reasonable request of a male. If not sure if it is considered reasonable, ladies can check with their teachers," one of the rules reads.

I love that the teacher had enough reflection to add "Must be within school dress code" to the instruction to dress to please men, but not enough reflection to figure out what a terrible idea this whole thing was.

Is this article a satire or something? (Please tell me it is?)

 

[Paulos23]

A "chivalry" assignment given to students at Shallowater High School in Texas instructed girls to "dress in a feminine manner" to please men, "walk behind men daintily as if their feet were bound," and "not complain or whine."

The list states, "Ladies must address all men respectfully by title, with a lowered head and curtsy," and "Ladies must never criticize a male." It also says "ladies" must not initiate conversations with males, or "show intellectual superiority" outside the classroom "if it would offend the men around them." It also says they must cook for the "gentlemen in their class" and should clean up after the men.

"Ladies must obey any reasonable request of a male. If not sure if it is considered reasonable, ladies can check with their teachers," one of the rules reads.

I love that the teacher had enough reflection to add "Must be within school dress code" to the instruction to dress to please men, but not enough reflection to figure out what a terrible idea this whole thing was.

At least the district public relations person says the assignment has been removed.

Most of what was in that assignment is not chivalry rules. Ugh, just awful.

 

[Speedwell]

In the first example we are told of an amusing way of teaching what a woman's role was in an earlier, less enlightened time. In the second we learn that some of us are apparently still living in a less enlightened time.

 

[RestoreTheJoy]

A "chivalry" assignment given to students at Shallowater High School in Texas instructed girls to "dress in a feminine manner" to please men, "walk behind men daintily as if their feet were bound," and "not complain or whine."

The list states, "Ladies must address all men respectfully by title, with a lowered head and curtsy," and "Ladies must never criticize a male." It also says "ladies" must not initiate conversations with males, or "show intellectual superiority" outside the classroom "if it would offend the men around them." It also says they must cook for the "gentlemen in their class" and should clean up after the men.

"Ladies must obey any reasonable request of a male. If not sure if it is considered reasonable, ladies can check with their teachers," one of the rules reads.

I love that the teacher had enough reflection to add "Must be within school dress code" to the instruction to dress to please men, but not enough reflection to figure out what a terrible idea this whole thing was.

I'm thinking this was an experiment to encourage a discussion of rights. I could be wrong. Not much context here.

There was a boys assignment as well, though it sounds less onerous: Someone in the private Facebook group where the assignment was shared said there was also an assignment for boys, instructing them to "have manners towards the ladies and treat them politely in some situations," according to EverythingLubbock.com.

I would be interested in seeing both documents and hearing the teacher's reasoning.

 

[RestoreTheJoy]

Meanwhile... in Missouri... It's not just for History Class!

Pastor tells women to look pretty or husbands will stray in sermon to Missouri church

A Missouri pastor is on leave after delivering a sermon telling women to lose weight and submit to the sexual desires of their husbands to keep them from straying.

“Now look, I’m not saying every woman can be the epic — the epic – trophy wife of all time like Melania Trump. I’m not saying that at all. Most women can’t be trophy wives, but you know ... maybe you’re a participation trophy,”

I'm thinking this guy should take his own advice first before giving any.

 

[Occams Barber]

A "chivalry" assignment given to students at Shallowater High School in Texas instructed girls to "dress in a feminine manner" to please men, "walk behind men daintily as if their feet were bound," and "not complain or whine."

The list states, "Ladies must address all men respectfully by title, with a lowered head and curtsy," and "Ladies must never criticize a male." It also says "ladies" must not initiate conversations with males, or "show intellectual superiority" outside the classroom "if it would offend the men around them." It also says they must cook for the "gentlemen in their class" and should clean up after the men.

"Ladies must obey any reasonable request of a male. If not sure if it is considered reasonable, ladies can check with their teachers," one of the rules reads.

I love that the teacher had enough reflection to add "Must be within school dress code" to the instruction to dress to please men, but not enough reflection to figure out what a terrible idea this whole thing was.

To be followed up next month with Slavery Day.

OB

 

[The IbanezerScrooge]

To be followed up next month with Slavery Day.

OB

I got you, fam:

Assignment at Mississippi middle school asks students to ‘pretend like you are a slave’

 

[Occams Barber]

I got you, fam:

Assignment at Mississippi middle school asks students to ‘pretend like you are a slave’

I give up.

America has reached the point where any satire is impossible.

OB

 

[rambot]

Alright libs.

I'm a teacher. Come at me!

I think there is potential for this to be a very impactful learning instance IF the teacher were to approach it the right way.
I guess it is a bit inappropriate BUT I don't think it's wildly insane.

I think what would have been a FAAAAAAAAR more impactful way to get this message across is have "Chivalry Day" except have those expectations on the MEN instead of the women.


EDIT:
I looked at "Slave" letter writing assignment as well. Again, I can see why the title is terrible. But there are several curricular outcomes that it would hit; besides (and I feel VERY confident it was the teacher's intent) to try to illicit empathy for slaves.
I think trying to practice empathy in a writing assignment is incredibly important and can be quite impactful. It also allows teachers to get a handle on whether the student recognizes the impact of slavery on the individual, "his family back home" (wha?) etc.

To be clear, if I didn't an assignment like this, I certainly wouldn't NAME it that but I think conceptually, it's not really that bad.

Alright commies....;-)
Let me have it!

 

[Occams Barber]

Alright libs.

I'm a teacher. Come at me!

I think there is potential for this to be a very impactful learning instance IF the teacher were to approach it the right way.
I guess it is a bit inappropriate BUT I don't think it's wildly insane.

I think what would have been a FAAAAAAAAR more impactful way to get this message across is have "Chivalry Day" except have those expectations on the MEN instead of the women.


EDIT:
I looked at "Slave" letter writing assignment as well. Again, I can see why the title is terrible. But there are several curricular outcomes that it would hit; besides (and I feel VERY confident it was the teacher's intent) to try to illicit empathy for slaves.
I think trying to practice empathy in a writing assignment is incredibly important and can be quite impactful. It also allows teachers to get a handle on whether the student recognizes the impact of slavery on the individual, "his family back home" (wha?) etc.

To be clear, if I didn't an assignment like this, I certainly wouldn't NAME it that but I think conceptually, it's not really that bad.

Alright commies....;-)
Let me have it!

Whoever set up the assignment is not familiar with 'chivalry'. Chivalry was a code (theoretically) governing the behaviour of a certain 'noble' class of men. This assignment is all about female behaviour.

Secondly chivalry is generally regarded as a bit of historical mythology. While it may have existed in the minds of some romantics the reality of male behaviour towards women (particularly in warfare) was very different.

Thirdly chivalry, to the extent that it existed, was about far more than behaviour towards women.

The female behaviour listed in the assignment has more in common with a Victorian era view of appropriate female behaviour than some imagined chivalric standard. In fact the behaviours listed would not be inconsistent with the 1950s image of womanhood.

OB

 

[essentialsaltes]

This assignment is all about female behaviour.

As people have alluded, there was a parallel assignment for boys. But yeah, even historically, chivalry was really only a code for the chevals -- all men.

 

[OldWiseGuy]

Like women are trophies.

Some believe that they are.

 

[OldWiseGuy]

The assignment asked girls 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."

News at eleven.

 

[keith99]

There is a reason why the other name for the medieval times was The Dark Ages!

The pretend you are a slave at first (and still) isn't as bad as the title brought to mind after being setup by the chivalry idiocy. But upon thinking about it there is a huge problem. Pretending to be a slave in the United States and being able to write are pretty much mutually exclusive.

By an interesting coincidence I've jsut finished reading 'The Dragon on the Border' by Gordon Dickson. It is part of a series where the hero has been transported to a medieval world where magic works and where he starts out as a dragon. He later learns how to change back. Anyway a major part of teh story revolves around hygiene at the time, or rather the lack of it! So should the girls refrain from bathing and cover things up with perfume? Inquiring minds want to know.

BTW as a guy I'd rather insulted by the chivilary assignment. I at least like to think guys are better than what that assignment implies.

 

[Sketcher]

A "chivalry" assignment given to students at Shallowater High School in Texas instructed girls to "dress in a feminine manner" to please men, "walk behind men daintily as if their feet were bound," and "not complain or whine."

The list states, "Ladies must address all men respectfully by title, with a lowered head and curtsy," and "Ladies must never criticize a male." It also says "ladies" must not initiate conversations with males, or "show intellectual superiority" outside the classroom "if it would offend the men around them." It also says they must cook for the "gentlemen in their class" and should clean up after the men.

"Ladies must obey any reasonable request of a male. If not sure if it is considered reasonable, ladies can check with their teachers," one of the rules reads.

I love that the teacher had enough reflection to add "Must be within school dress code" to the instruction to dress to please men, but not enough reflection to figure out what a terrible idea this whole thing was.

I'm sure they hated it. And if its goal was to make "chivalry" seem repugnant, that goal was reached.

That being said, if this happened at my high school when I was in high school, there were some girls whom it would have been hilarious to see this happen to. But they would have been smart enough to avoid taking this class with this teacher.