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NYC Bans Mention of Dinosaurs, Dancing, Birthdays On Student Tests

Posted by Soulskill on from the prepositions-banned-for-being-too-elitist dept.

New submitter SchroedingersCat writes "New York educators banned references to 'dinosaurs,' 'birthdays,' 'Halloween' and dozens of other topics on city-issued tests. That is because they fear such topics 'could evoke unpleasant emotions in the students.' Dinosaurs, for example, call to mind evolution, which might upset fundamentalists; birthdays are not celebrated by Jehovah's Witnesses; and Halloween suggests paganism. Homes with swimming pools and home computers are also unmentionables — because of economic sensitivities. The city asks test companies to exclude 'creatures from outer space' as well — for unspecified reasons."

3 of 470 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Great by bmo · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    It's the fucking New York Post.

    The Post is the Fox News of NYC newspapers.

    Putting this story on Slashdot is bullshit and more suitable for Fark, where I saw it *the first time*

    Protip for everyone: There's a lot missing to this story.

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    BMO

  2. Re:I also propose to ban by GameboyRMH · · Score: 1, Flamebait

    Don't mod him down so quick. Which group loves to homeschool their kids these days to keep them away from them durn lib'rul teachers and their perverted sex ed. classes? Which group wants to pretend evolution and climate change aren't real things? Which group throws a shit-fit at any school subjects that might stir up white guilt? It's the pot calling the kettle black at the very least.

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    "When information is power, privacy is freedom" - Jah-Wren Ryel
  3. Re:Nuts by Grishnakh · · Score: 1, Flamebait

    That one was published in 1998, 14 years ago. Times were very, very different back then. If you went back to 1998 and asked people if they'd consider voting for a Presidential candidate who wants to ban contraception, pornography, filter the internet for porn, etc., they'd think you're nuts. Yet today in 2012, there's a strong possibility a candidate like that will be elected this November.

    America took a really bad left turn in the early 2000s, and as a result we've had a Lost Decade, which is shaping up to be a Lost Two Decades, if not a complete decline and collapse.