Matthew Malin
Professor Katie Friedman
English 100
25 September 2014 A Curriculum For the Twenty-First Century When I was in high school, I knew a girl named Madeline. Madeline was the essence of a perfect child. Like many of your daughters, Madeline never got into trouble. Madeline was a model student and she even played varsity field hockey. Like many bright young girls, Madeline aimed for the stars. Her dream after high school was to become a forensic pathologist. One afternoon Madeline was walking home with her girlfriend, Elaine, when they were attacked by a group of young men. These young men, who went to Toriyama High School with Madeline and Elaine, viciously beat them in a park near their homes. These young men also called Madeline …show more content…
The central tenet of any such curriculum is that society has a place for all people, regardless of gender, age, ability and sexual orientation. For our male students, this means using their critical thinking skills to analyze how and why multiple levels of oppression converge to act against certain groups. A young man taking a course in women 's studies or social justice would have the tools to spot active discrimination in his school and in his future workplace and take action against it. Armed with this knowledge, your son, could become a powerful ally in the fight for a more egalitarian world. A curriculum in social justice and women 's studies is immensely important to the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgendered communities as well. It is conceivable that Madeline and Elaine could have avoided attack, if their high school had a course that discussed the root causes of homophobia and how to avoid them. Teenagers have a tendency to discuss new ideas and concepts that they find exciting and the principle of tolerance would spread among the student body. We know what a painful and isolating time adolescence can be. This is especially true for gay and lesbian teens who feel shut off and isolated because of their sexual orientation. A course that had a fair and open discussion about the discrimination facing marginalized groups, would let these teens know that they have a place in …show more content…
For instance, a student in women 's studies would critically examine the male and female binary (Answers.com). To see the significance of this, imagine your daughter discovering a love for math or science, considered traditionally male fields. She may even decide to study them in college. Without women 's studies, she may shy away, because she thought that math and science were male only subjects. In a women 's studies course your child would learn to resist the negative influences of modern popular culture. For girls this means avoiding the pitfalls of trying to obtain an idealistic and harmful body image. Your daughter would have the ability to spot the overly sexualized images of girls in a commercial or magazine and resist being influenced by them. Your sons would learn that is not a crime to show their feelings and they would express themselves honestly, without fear. Most importantly, students of women 's studies would see that girls are more than objects of sexual gratification and
Professor Katie Friedman
English 100
25 September 2014 A Curriculum For the Twenty-First Century When I was in high school, I knew a girl named Madeline. Madeline was the essence of a perfect child. Like many of your daughters, Madeline never got into trouble. Madeline was a model student and she even played varsity field hockey. Like many bright young girls, Madeline aimed for the stars. Her dream after high school was to become a forensic pathologist. One afternoon Madeline was walking home with her girlfriend, Elaine, when they were attacked by a group of young men. These young men, who went to Toriyama High School with Madeline and Elaine, viciously beat them in a park near their homes. These young men also called Madeline …show more content…
The central tenet of any such curriculum is that society has a place for all people, regardless of gender, age, ability and sexual orientation. For our male students, this means using their critical thinking skills to analyze how and why multiple levels of oppression converge to act against certain groups. A young man taking a course in women 's studies or social justice would have the tools to spot active discrimination in his school and in his future workplace and take action against it. Armed with this knowledge, your son, could become a powerful ally in the fight for a more egalitarian world. A curriculum in social justice and women 's studies is immensely important to the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgendered communities as well. It is conceivable that Madeline and Elaine could have avoided attack, if their high school had a course that discussed the root causes of homophobia and how to avoid them. Teenagers have a tendency to discuss new ideas and concepts that they find exciting and the principle of tolerance would spread among the student body. We know what a painful and isolating time adolescence can be. This is especially true for gay and lesbian teens who feel shut off and isolated because of their sexual orientation. A course that had a fair and open discussion about the discrimination facing marginalized groups, would let these teens know that they have a place in …show more content…
For instance, a student in women 's studies would critically examine the male and female binary (Answers.com). To see the significance of this, imagine your daughter discovering a love for math or science, considered traditionally male fields. She may even decide to study them in college. Without women 's studies, she may shy away, because she thought that math and science were male only subjects. In a women 's studies course your child would learn to resist the negative influences of modern popular culture. For girls this means avoiding the pitfalls of trying to obtain an idealistic and harmful body image. Your daughter would have the ability to spot the overly sexualized images of girls in a commercial or magazine and resist being influenced by them. Your sons would learn that is not a crime to show their feelings and they would express themselves honestly, without fear. Most importantly, students of women 's studies would see that girls are more than objects of sexual gratification and