Highland Park ISD parent calls book on poverty ‘socialist, Marxist’

[TexasTowelie]

A parent challenging the use of a nonfiction book about poverty in Highland Park ISD says it is a “socialist, Marxist book” taught with a political agenda.

Meg Bakich, a University Park mother of five, told an online talk show recently that she objects to the use of the book, The Working Poor: Invisible in America, in an Advanced Placement English class for college-level high school juniors. Students are asked to analyze texts and write about contemporary issues such as poverty, education and the economy.

“This English class is really a year-long undermining of American values,” she said.

A committee of parents, staff and students will soon review The Working Poor, by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist David K. Shipler, to decide if it should stay in use. The book is about men and women in the U.S. who live just above the poverty line.

Read more: http://www.dallasnews.com/news/community-news/park-cities/headlines/20150128-highland-park-isd-parent-calls-book-on-poverty-socialist-marxist.ece

[font color=green]How dare the privileged children in tony Highland Park have to read about poverty.[/font]

[Ilsa]

1. "...a nonfiction book about poverty in Highland Park..."

Misplace modifiers much? I'm shocked that DMN editors didn't catch that one.

I think Bakich needs to drive outside her bubble.

[TexasProgresive]

2. Why should she waste her beautiful mind on something like that?

To steal a quote from Barbara Bush.

[Ilsa]

4. LOL. Great recall. I remember that as well and

how selfish she sounded.

I am trying to be kind in my recollections of the elder Bushes, but it's difficult. A friend and I were discussing Poppy's "alleged" long term affair with a woman named Jennifer. My buddy made a comment about Bush having to give her up, and that Bush was stuck with only getting "to mount Babs" occasionally. It was like I needed ear bleach. Your quote from her affected me similarly.

[DhhD]

3. Data on low income is easy to get online. Those right above the poverty line are

siting right above the graphs in the link below. This as well as lots of other web sites are all public information at the touch of a smart phone that many students in HPISD have on them at school. It is an educational tool to research many of the positional issues that income brings to Highland Park as income is an outstanding marker.

There are learning objectives that have been approved by both the state and local school district, that Miss Meggie is out of step with. Keep in mind, because of all the uproar, the rest of the student body will be reading the book; it is on-line too.

http://www.city-data.com/poverty/poverty-Highland-Park-Texas.html

US Census Data is easy to get online.