In Allen ISD, a 9th grade student is pushing back against an anti-Palestinian lesson plan.
Lowery Freshman Center in Allen, Texas Allen ISD
In Allen ISD, a 9th grade student is pushing back against an anti-Palestinian lesson plan.
Lowery Freshman Center in Allen, Texas Allen ISD
Michelle Aslam
Apr 29, 2021, 8:00 am CST
Dana, a Palestinian-American student at Lowery Freshman Center in Allen, Texas, was immediately taken aback by the multiple choice quiz question in her classroom this January. “What is an important cause of terrorism in the Middle East?” Options included that “Israelis believe terrorist acts are needed to defend settlements in the West Bank,” “Iranians use terrorism to collect uranium for nuclear weapons,” and “radical groups in Egypt wish to give control of the Suez Canal to Britain.” The correct answer, according to a lesson plan designed to address Texas education standards: “Many Palestinians believe terrorism is justified against Israeli o
What’s in a simple quiz question? If you’re a Palestinian student in Texas, the answer may be a good reason to take offense.
Published by Jarrett Publishing Co., part of a Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) lesson used by schools statewide includes a quiz question that raises eyebrows: “Which is an important cause of terrorism in the Middle East?”
The correct answer? “Many Palestinians believe terrorism is justified against Israeli occupation.”
The education material recently sparked controversy after the local chapter of the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR-DFW) put out a press release calling on Allen ISD to ditch the curriculum for unfairly characterizing Palestinians.
Longtime Alexander teacher retiring after many rewarding years in UISD classrooms
Courtesy of UISD
FacebookTwitterEmail
Garcia/
Alexander High School teacher Martha Gloria Garcia announced her retirement after over 40 years of service to the students of UISD.
Throughout her teaching career, Garcia always believed that the success of her students was a reflection of her success as a teacher. It is noteworthy to mention that many of UISD’s prominent educators were her pupils.
“David Canales, Adriana Ramirez, Mario Rosales, Elvira Gaona, Emma Leza and coach Bobby Cruz are all former pupils of mine, ” said Garcia, who was born in Nuevo Laredo and immigrated to the United States at the age of 12.