Skiatook, Oklahoma HS pulls 'World History' 'research paper' on 'How did the World Start?' after Osage family protests Christianity-skewed content

[essentialsaltes]

Skiatook HS pulls assignment on Christianity after Osage family protests​

Olivia Gray says she doesn’t want Oklahoma public schools to force Christianity on her daughter, who is a sophomore at SHS

Skiatook High School sophomore, Nettie Gray, received an assignment this week that left her and her family confused and upset. On Thursday evening, her mother Olivia Gray posted about the assignment on Facebook and hundreds of comments began to roll in.

The post read, “This is one of Nettie’s assignments for World History class. It’s being called a research paper. …” and included a photo of the assignment, which contained a series of ten questions about “how the world started” and urged students to write a research paper on the topic. Among the questions were “What does it mean to be a Christian?” “Is God real” and “Is satan [sic] real?”

According to the Oklahoma State Department of Education website, the teacher who assigned the paper was Erich Richter, a football coach at SHS who has his emergency certification in English that expired on June 30, 2024.

Prior to teaching, Richter ran for Tulsa County sheriff but was disqualified due to embezzling funds from Taco Bueno, according to The Frontier.

¡No bueno! Could it really be that bad? Yes. Yes, it could.

 

[The IbanezerScrooge]

This was so ridiculous. It baffles me that anyone could think, if indeed it weas the intention, that something like this would persuade or cajole students into Christian beliefs. It's nonsense.

I wish my HS teacher would have given this assignment. I was full of agnst about religion then. I'm sure I would have had fun with it.

 

[Offline4Better.]

Skiatook HS pulls assignment on Christianity after Osage family protests​

Olivia Gray says she doesn’t want Oklahoma public schools to force Christianity on her daughter, who is a sophomore at SHS

Skiatook High School sophomore, Nettie Gray, received an assignment this week that left her and her family confused and upset. On Thursday evening, her mother Olivia Gray posted about the assignment on Facebook and hundreds of comments began to roll in.

The post read, “This is one of Nettie’s assignments for World History class. It’s being called a research paper. …” and included a photo of the assignment, which contained a series of ten questions about “how the world started” and urged students to write a research paper on the topic. Among the questions were “What does it mean to be a Christian?” “Is God real” and “Is satan [sic] real?”

According to the Oklahoma State Department of Education website, the teacher who assigned the paper was Erich Richter, a football coach at SHS who has his emergency certification in English that expired on June 30, 2024.

Prior to teaching, Richter ran for Tulsa County sheriff but was disqualified due to embezzling funds from Taco Bueno, according to The Frontier.

¡No bueno! Could it really be that bad? Yes. Yes, it could.

View attachment 353559

As a Christian, it disturbs me when Christians force religion onto others, and if I was in his class, I would speak up against this assignment, or bring it up to the principal in private. Yes, it is okay for a teacher to discuss his religion one on one with a student, if the student initiates the conversation. It is not OK for him to bring up religion as an assignment though to the whole class.

 

[Ana the Ist]

Skiatook HS pulls assignment on Christianity after Osage family protests​

Olivia Gray says she doesn’t want Oklahoma public schools to force Christianity on her daughter, who is a sophomore at SHS

Skiatook High School sophomore, Nettie Gray, received an assignment this week that left her and her family confused and upset. On Thursday evening, her mother Olivia Gray posted about the assignment on Facebook and hundreds of comments began to roll in.

The post read, “This is one of Nettie’s assignments for World History class. It’s being called a research paper. …” and included a photo of the assignment, which contained a series of ten questions about “how the world started” and urged students to write a research paper on the topic. Among the questions were “What does it mean to be a Christian?” “Is God real” and “Is satan [sic] real?”

According to the Oklahoma State Department of Education website, the teacher who assigned the paper was Erich Richter, a football coach at SHS who has his emergency certification in English that expired on June 30, 2024.

Prior to teaching, Richter ran for Tulsa County sheriff but was disqualified due to embezzling funds from Taco Bueno, according to The Frontier.

¡No bueno! Could it really be that bad? Yes. Yes, it could.

View attachment 353559

Harmless.

These are questions...not statements of fact. The students can answer any way they choose. The assignment appears to be about learning how to write college style papers with proper notation.

It would be indoctrination if the teacher was giving a lesson on his personal views as if they were facts.

That's what they're supposed to be teaching....right? Facts?

 

[Offline4Better.]

Harmless.

These are questions...not statements of fact. The students can answer any way they choose. The assignment appears to be about learning how to write college style papers with proper notation.

It would be indoctrination if the teacher was giving a lesson on his personal views as if they were facts.

That's what they're supposed to be teaching....right? Facts?

I do see your point. It might make some folks feel uncomfortable though answering these questions. At least the questions on that assignment are not pronoun related or woke propaganda. If I had kids, I would pull my son or daughter out of school.

This article highlights how a 9-year-old student was forced to write a gender identity essay in 3rd grade:

The Monster Is in the Classroom

Many American parents may assume that culture-war battles over critical race theory and “wokeness” are fought on legitimate terrain, involving

www.city-journal.org

This post is from 2019, when wokeness started to take off. Disgusting lesson content for 3rd graders or any age, if you ask me. My teacher never talked about this stuff in 3rd grade back when I was a young one in 2009.

But hey, do wanna join the Christian faith? If you need anyone to help you with the faith, both @Vambram and I can explain the ins and out of our religion. I will not force it upon you, but the Christian faith can help one look forward to the life to come, and renew our souls.

2 Corinthians 5:17 (KJV): "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new."

 

[Ana the Ist]

As a Christian, it disturbs me when Christians force religion onto others, and if I was in his class, I would speak up against this assignment, or bring it up to the principal in private. Yes, it is okay for a teacher to discuss his religion one on one with a student, if the student initiates the conversation. It is not OK for him to bring up religion as an assignment though to the whole class.

Does this seem like forcing religion onto students to you? If instead of the word "Christian" it used the word "Muslim"....would it still seem like forcing religion onto students?

 

[Offline4Better.]

Does this seem like forcing religion onto students to you? If instead of the word "Christian" it used the word "Muslim"....would it still seem like forcing religion onto students?

It does not seem like he was forcing religion onto students compared to the gender indoctrination that is going on from the far-left, so I will let this one assignment by Mr. Richter fly, though, that essay might shake some things up in the secular world of schooling (get it, cos the teacher's surname is Richter, and a scientist by the name of Richter developed the earthquake severity scale). However, he might want his teaching certificate reinstated, and embezzling funds from a business is not good thing for a Christian to do.

 

[Ana the Ist]

I do see your point. It might make some folks feel uncomfortable though answering these questions. At least the questions on that assignment are not pronoun related or woke propaganda. If I had kids, I would pull my son or daughter out of school.

I agree that teachers shouldn't be forcing religion onto students...

But that's only something I'd be able to determine by the grading system. If the teacher deducted points if they answered that God and Satan aren't real...then yes...he's promoting religious views and this shouldn't be in the classroom. If he's just grading by their notation and writing....this is entirely harmless.

This article highlights how a 9-year-old student was forced to write a gender identity essay in 3rd grade:

The Monster Is in the Classroom

Many American parents may assume that culture-war battles over critical race theory and “wokeness” are fought on legitimate terrain, involving

www.city-journal.org

Here's another good one...

Teacher who assigned 'sexual fantasy' story on leave pending investigation

katv.com

Describe your sexual fantasies teenagers....

Regardless of how anyone feels about the assignment, the teacher is gone and the assignment was pulled. This assignment apparently was part of the state approved curriculum.

This post is from 2019, when wokeness started to take off. Disgusting lesson content for 3rd graders or any age, if you ask me. My teacher never talked about this stuff in 3rd grade back when I was a young one in 2009.
View attachment 353573

But hey, do wanna join the Christian faith? If you need anyone to help you with the faith, both @Vambram and I can explain the ins and out of our religion. I will not force it upon you, but the Christian faith can help one look forward to the life to come, and renew our souls.

2 Corinthians 5:17 (KJV): "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new."

The idea that anyone who got outraged at teachers being called "groomers" despite the curriculum being heavily sexualized....are upset at a student being asked about God and Satan is fundamentally absurd on every level.

They'd literally have to have a class called "Why Christianity Is True And You're Probably Going To Hell" before we even remotely approach the same degree of indoctrination and inappropriate classes in public schools.

 

[Offline4Better.]

I agree that teachers shouldn't be forcing religion onto students...

But that's only something I'd be able to determine by the grading system. If the teacher deducted points if they answered that God and Satan aren't real...then yes...he's promoting religious views and this shouldn't be in the classroom. If he's just grading by their notation and writing....this is entirely harmless.



Here's another good one...

Teacher who assigned 'sexual fantasy' story on leave pending investigation

katv.com

Describe your sexual fantasies teenagers....

Regardless of how anyone feels about the assignment, the teacher is gone and the assignment was pulled. This assignment apparently was part of the state approved curriculum.




The idea that anyone who got outraged at teachers being called "groomers" despite the curriculum being heavily sexualized....are upset at a student being asked about God and Satan is fundamentally absurd on every level.

They'd literally have to have a class called "Why Christianity Is True And You're Probably Going To Hell" before we even remotely approach the same degree of indoctrination and inappropriate classes in public schools.

Hopefully, Mr. Richter graded folks fairly when they responded to his Christian essay questions.

But eww, schools are becoming demonic breeding grounds for this woke, sexual agenda.

By the way, the UCC (United Church of Christ, one of the most woke church denominations in existence) had some influence in promoting this sexual agenda:

Oregon health class assigns students to write sexual fantasy, but without any sex

Parents are still seeking answers as to how a health class assignment about a sexual fantasy at Churchill High School was given to students.

thenationaldesk.com

 

[Bradskii]

Skiatook HS pulls assignment on Christianity after Osage family protests​

Olivia Gray says she doesn’t want Oklahoma public schools to force Christianity on her daughter, who is a sophomore at SHS

Skiatook High School sophomore, Nettie Gray, received an assignment this week that left her and her family confused and upset. On Thursday evening, her mother Olivia Gray posted about the assignment on Facebook and hundreds of comments began to roll in.

The post read, “This is one of Nettie’s assignments for World History class. It’s being called a research paper. …” and included a photo of the assignment, which contained a series of ten questions about “how the world started” and urged students to write a research paper on the topic. Among the questions were “What does it mean to be a Christian?” “Is God real” and “Is satan [sic] real?”

According to the Oklahoma State Department of Education website, the teacher who assigned the paper was Erich Richter, a football coach at SHS who has his emergency certification in English that expired on June 30, 2024.

Prior to teaching, Richter ran for Tulsa County sheriff but was disqualified due to embezzling funds from Taco Bueno, according to The Frontier.

¡No bueno! Could it really be that bad? Yes. Yes, it could.

View attachment 353559

9) Is God real?
10) Is satan real?
11) Is this guy for real?

 

[essentialsaltes]

It does not seem like he was forcing religion onto students compared to the gender indoctrination that is going on from the far-left, so I will let this one assignment by Mr. Richter fly

wat

'Who started it?' presupposes that there is an answer to the question.

'When did evil start?' presupposes that evil is some sort of 'thing' that exists.

While we don't know for certain how coach would have graded things, I don't think that answering 'No' to 9 and 10 would get you a good grade.

 

[Nithavela]

These aren't "just questions".

Those are leading questions. In fact, if someone wanted me to draft an example of leading questions, I'd probably have to put in some real effort to go as over the top as this set of questions.

 

[Offline4Better.]

wat

'Who started it?' presupposes that there is an answer to the question.

'When did evil start?' presupposes that evil is some sort of 'thing' that exists.

While we don't know for certain how coach would have graded things, I don't think that answering 'No' to 9 and 10 would get you a good grade.

I do see your point on that. Questions 9 and 10 should be omitted from the essay, as those stray way too close to the Christian line for a school. 1 through 8 are somewhat okay questions to ask.

 

[Bradskii]

From here: Oklahoma mother says daughter's world history assignment pushes Christianity

'While Gray has not yet contacted the school she said wants to know if this assignment came from Oklahoma State Schools Superintendent Ryan Walters' recent mandate or just the teacher. In June 2024, Oklahoma State Schools Superintendent Ryan Walters mandated that districts integrate the Bible into the curriculum for grades 5 through 12, emphasizing its value as a historical document, a move that caused controversy.'

 

[essentialsaltes]

From here: Oklahoma mother says daughter's world history assignment pushes Christianity

'While Gray has not yet contacted the school she said wants to know if this assignment came from Oklahoma State Schools Superintendent Ryan Walters' recent mandate or just the teacher. In June 2024, Oklahoma State Schools Superintendent Ryan Walters mandated that districts integrate the Bible into the curriculum for grades 5 through 12, emphasizing its value as a historical document, a move that caused controversy.'

I expect Coach was emboldened by Walters, but there was no explicit connection. Just like some of the laws against 'CRT' have had a non-explicit chilling effect on teaching civil rights and other topics, Ryan Walters' mandate has a promoting effect on unconstitutional abuses, masked as 'religion' (but not[?] religious) education.

 

[wing2000]

Skiatook HS pulls assignment on Christianity after Osage family protests​

Olivia Gray says she doesn’t want Oklahoma public schools to force Christianity on her daughter, who is a sophomore at SHS

Skiatook High School sophomore, Nettie Gray, received an assignment this week that left her and her family confused and upset. On Thursday evening, her mother Olivia Gray posted about the assignment on Facebook and hundreds of comments began to roll in.

The post read, “This is one of Nettie’s assignments for World History class. It’s being called a research paper. …” and included a photo of the assignment, which contained a series of ten questions about “how the world started” and urged students to write a research paper on the topic. Among the questions were “What does it mean to be a Christian?” “Is God real” and “Is satan [sic] real?”

According to the Oklahoma State Department of Education website, the teacher who assigned the paper was Erich Richter, a football coach at SHS who has his emergency certification in English that expired on June 30, 2024.

Prior to teaching, Richter ran for Tulsa County sheriff but was disqualified due to embezzling funds from Taco Bueno, according to The Frontier.

¡No bueno! Could it really be that bad? Yes. Yes, it could.

View attachment 353559

"Answer the following question,....."

So the students could pick 1 of the 10 questions? (it seems the "teacher" lacks basic writing skills)

 

[Ana the Ist]

wat

'Who started it?' presupposes that there is an answer to the question.

'When did evil start?' presupposes that evil is some sort of 'thing' that exists.

While we don't know for certain how coach would have graded things, I don't think that answering 'No' to 9 and 10 would get you a good grade.

It's certainly possible....but everyone seems to be focused on the questions instead of the assignment.

This appears to be more about learning the correct way to write a college style short essay with references to source materials. It's rather surprising how many students are going to college with no knowledge of this sort of stuff. I suspect he wanted an answer to one question, not all of them.

 

[Gene2memE]

I do see your point on that. Questions 9 and 10 should be omitted from the essay, as those stray way too close to the Christian line for a school. 1 through 8 are somewhat okay questions to ask.

There are implicit, theistic assumptions in other question as well. The first four essentially work backwards from Christian beliefs/doctrines.

Q1 uses "started" and Q2 uses "who started it". Both imply agency. If you were actually interested in getting a fair answer, the first question would use a neutral/passive voice, like "How old is the earth?" or "What is the age of the world?". Q2 would be omitted altogether. Q3 and Q4 both assume that evil is a thing that could or could not exist, rather than treating it as a conceptual and descriptive label.

Further, Q8 probably doesn't belong in a History curriculum. You could squeak it into Social Studies or something similar, but probably only under a comparative religion topic area.

Having once been a history teacher and tutor, there's no way these questions weren't ideologically motivated and intended to draw students into a particular set of answers. If I was attempting to be impartial and really wanted to include Christianity in the lesson, I'd reframe the questions like this:

1. What is a religion? In your answer, include examples of the world's largest religions and their main beliefs.
2. What are some Christian beliefs about the origin and age of the world? Compare and contrast those with the beliefs of other major religions.
3. What do Christian believe about morality? In your answer, outline Christian conceptions of God, Satan and stances on the existence of good and evil.

 

[Ana the Ist]

These aren't "just questions".

They definitely are.

Those are leading questions.

They're questions of a similar nature.

In fact, if someone wanted me to draft an example of leading questions, I'd probably have to put in some real effort to go as over the top as this set of questions.

Leading questions would be....

Given the nature of trans activist discourse in the US today, and the resulting backlash against that activist movement....answer one of the following questions.

1. Why do you support or hate trans activism?

2. Why do you think people want to deny trans people their rights?

The first question presupposes that anyone who doesn't support trans activism by default hates it. The second works off the first (if you failed to catch the assumption of hate) and also presupposes that trans people are being denied rights.

The first one leads into the answer for the second. If you put those two questions to a bunch of students who never learned to think critically....you're going to get a lot of "hate" answers to #2. Those are leading questions.

There's only one leading question in the assignment and that's "who started the world". It presupposes a "who". Regardless, I'm more bothered by the spacing of the 10th question.

 

[Ana the Ist]

There are implicit, theistic assumptions in other question as well. The first four essentially work backwards from Christian beliefs/doctrines.

Sigh.

Q1 uses "started"

It's bad wording, I'll give you that...but I think you're reading too much into the word start. If he used the word "begin" instead of start would you still think it was leading?

and Q2 uses "who started it".

I agree this is presumptive.

If you were actually interested in getting a fair answer, the first question would use a neutral/passive voice, like "How old is the earth?" or "What is the age of the world?".

All answers appear to be "fair" answers outside of any other instructions.

Q2 would be omitted altogether. Q3 and Q4 both assume that evil is a thing that could or could not exist, rather than treating it as a conceptual and descriptive label.

Right....as no one is going to be able to prove it a thing that exists, like gender, and some believe it does, like gender....

It's hard for me to see the problem with the question. The problem would be if a specific answer was required.

Further, Q8 probably doesn't belong in a History curriculum. You could squeak it into Social Studies or something similar, but probably only under a comparative religion topic area.

It's like asking what a woman is lol. Who knows at this point?

Having once been a history teacher and tutor, there's no way these questions weren't ideologically motivated and intended to draw students into a particular set of answers. If I was attempting to be impartial and really wanted to include Christianity in the lesson, I'd reframe the questions like this:

1. What is a religion? In your answer, include examples of the world's largest religions and their main beliefs.
2. What are some Christian beliefs about the origin and age of the world? Compare and contrast those with the beliefs of other major religions.
3. What do Christian believe about morality? In your answer, outline Christian conceptions of God, Satan and stances on the existence of good and evil.

People need to decide whether or not they want schools to be places of indoctrination or places of learning facts/truth.