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A high school class assignment concerning the Derek Chauvin trial has ignited a measure of controversy.

High School Class Assignment Targets Specific Questions

A recent criminal justice class assignment at Bishop McDevitt High School in a suburban on the outskirts of Montgomery county asked students questions about the trial of Chauvin. He is the former Minneapolis police officer who pressed his knee into George Floyd’s neck that killed him. A jury found Chauvin guilty of all charges last week including second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder, and second-degree manslaughter.

High School Class Assignment: Parent of Student at Bishop McDevitt Brings up Bias Issues

“I got a text (about this assignment),” said Tim, who is a parent of a student at Bishop McDevitt. Moreover, the family chooses not to use their last name or the student’s name out of fear of repercussions to the student for speaking out.
The assignment asked students to answer ten questions.

Below are the first two questions: “It is said that the death of George Floyd was, in fact, due to the number of drugs in his system that then affecting his heart. The cop Derek Chauvin aggravated the issue by putting a knee on Floyd’s neck. Should Chauvin have been charging with murder if he did not directly kill him? Why or Why not. It must be explaining in at least 5 sentences.” “Chauvin did not follow protocol and had a knee on Floyd’s neck for way longer than necessary. Floyd was resisting arrest, so why is Chauvin still considering breaking the law through negligence? Explain. If you don’t know what negligence is then look up the word.”

Questioning the narrative is a good thing. Floyd did have a checkered past and a lot of fentanyl in his system. Though Chauvin is no angel, either. Allegedly both knew each other prior to the alteration and “murder.”

Unfortunately, the assignment has upset a number of students. As a result, the teen’s parents feel that the assignment was writing with a bias towards Chauvin and against Floyd.

“We feel can’t discuss something that’s so fresh. And then, you don’t have facts in there, you just want people to answer your opinion,” said Tim. Weren’t the facts presented at the trial and can you consider other sources than the mainstream media for your information to have a more knowledgeable basis for your opinions.

What Nerve: the Teacher Creates Her Own Questions for Students and Tries to “Sway” Them Over to her Side

“Well, it’s was just questions about the teacher’s opinions,” the student’s stepmother said. Well, the teacher wrote the questions and it’s based on what she thought and formulated based on her insight and own thought-provoking questions about the case.

“It’s clear this teacher has put her political views in the classroom and she is manipulating her students with it,” said Kimberly Jones, the student’s aunt. It’s not a blatant manipulation at all! Maybe she wants her students to really think outside of the box and question various angles of the case and trial.

So, the student went ahead and sent a message to the teacher. Her family read the email, saying in part, “I feel as if the questions being asking are highly insensitive. I am uncomfortable reading them let alone answering the questions they provide.” What a snowflake! That kid needs to seriously man it up. They aren’t going to crumble or fall apart trying to wrap their heads around these questions and sincerely and forthrightly answer them.

Critically Thinking is “Ol’ Fashioned” These Days

This correspondence posted by the family on social media shows the teacher did respond by saying the following, “I’m sorry you feel this way. It was just an assignment to have you critically think from all perspectives. I understand if you do not wish to complete the assignment and therefore would rather take the 0.”