As kids go back to school, parents need to be involved in every way

Parents have to be vigilant about what our schools are teaching our kids, as I learned this week when my daughter came home from the start of high school with something troubling her.Her first Advanced Placement (AP) Language assignment of the year was about listening to different perspectives, a lesson I wholeheartedly support.The students had to watch a series of videos representing different experiences and points of view.One featured a young woman in a keffiyeh speaking about Islam as a religion of peace.

Another featured a woman describing her escape from Iran.As my daughter watched perspective after perspective, she noticed something: Not one reflected her experience as a Jewish American.

At dinner that night, she told me how disappointed she was.My advice was simple: Tell your teacher.I encouraged her not to complain or accuse, but to explain that while she appreciated being exposed to perspectives different from her own, she wondered why hers wasn’t represented.

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By clicking above you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.Never miss a story Her teacher responded immediately and respectfully.

She said she hadn’t realized the omission.When my daughter asked who selected the material, her teacher explained that the curriculum came from the school administration, not the AP program.

My daughter then asked whether she would share her concern with the administration; now, her teacher is working to make sure a Jewish-American perspective is included in the assignment.That exchange may seem small, but it represents exactly what a parent’s role in education should be.As we parents send our children back to school with fresh supplies and high expectations, we also need to make sure teachers, administrators and school boards are doing their jobs well.We need to make sure that they are a...