MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A History class discussion about religion versus science turned into a debate at Southwind High School.
“We’re up every morning at 4:45,” said Sharon Jackson, who took her five grandchildren in.
She keeps her living room table full of school work to keep up with what they’re learning.
“This is homework. It’s already been done and graded.”
But one piece of homework her grandchildren brought home from a Southwind High School history teacher stood out to her.
“He talked about how there was no heaven and there was no God, and everything your parents and grandparents are teaching you is a lie,” Jackson said.
Notes her granddaughter took from her history class said, “Science explains mature course. The bible is based on faith, not evidence. The church cannot be a source because it is just a building.”
Jackson said her grandson was actually forced into a group that was separated by religion and science.
Her granddaughter actually learned everything from a power point, which she wrote down on paper.
“The group he put my grandson in was the group that was scientific over religion, so he told him ‘I don’t believe in scientific over religion.’ That’s when the teacher told him, ‘Well, you can do two papers,” Jackson said.
She said she was furious and couldn’t believe what she was hearing.
Seeing how her family attends church every Sunday, Jackson felt she had to speak up.
“When they talked to him and asked why did he did it, he said something about Mississippi – something about Mississippi laws.”
The Shelby County School District told us high school students regularly discuss current events and trending topics during class, and the assignment was a result.
The teacher was instructed to cancel the assignment, because it was not part of district curriculum.
“I really pray it helps other parents understand that there are people there with other beliefs, and they are trying to get our kids to believe in other things,” Jackson said.
We also asked the district questions about normal protocol for teacher discussions and assignments in hopes to learn who approves what’s taught in classrooms.
We also asked if the teacher had any repercussions.
We have not heard back yet.
