Assignment was removed, after parents came forward to express concerns on the subject matter.
A Utah school is under fire after a teacher assigned students to design an ISIS recruitment poster, as part of a World Civics class.
ABC News reports that the assignment was given by a World Civics teacher who had only been with the school for a handful of months, to two of her classes at Salem Junior High School. The assignment was to create a “neat, colored, professional” poster for ISIS, to “help students better understand the goals of terrorist groups and the methods used to gain support.”
Despite a note included by the teacher, asking students to inform her if the assignment made them uncomfortable, no one came forward, according to a spokesperson for the Nebo School District, which Salem Junior High School is a part of.
However, following the Paris attacks, parents have found the assignment to be inappropriate. Parents expressed concern over the way terrorism is being taught about in schools, questioning if the focus should be on recruitment efforts or how to solve the situation. Some expressed concerns over the fact students may feel the need to search for ISIS recruiting efforts, as officials are attempting to isolate potential threats.
The school removed the assignment after four parents contacted the school with concerns. According to a spokesperson, the school was unaware of the assignment, as teachers typically discuss classroom practices on only a weekly bases. This assignment was never brought up.
The teacher has since apologized for the assignment. The school district defended the teacher saying that the act was done in naivety, and that “she wants to do the right thing.” At the time of writing, the teacher is still employed at the school.