Houston ISD educators have come forward to ask KHOU 11 to look into curriculum modifications at some schools, notably those classified as New Education System schools. The educators, who are afraid of losing their jobs for speaking up, claim they sought out because they are concerned about what they are being expected to perform in the classroom. They also say that the district is pressuring them to discriminate against disabled children.
There are various issues, but many of them revolve around something known as the Demonstration of Learning, or DOL. Students must complete the DOL after each lesson, answering five questions about the lesson.
“If they don’t pass, they stay behind with their teacher and do some more guided work,” explained Sim Kern, a former teacher and parent of two HISD students, who has become a voice for both groups on social media platforms, including TikTok. “If they pass that quiz, they’re sent to a learning center where they sit for 45 minutes alone doing these test prep packets.”
KHOU 11 has confirmed that teachers were directed in at least one school to provide adjustments only to students who passed the DOL and were assigned to the school’s resource center to work on a packet on their own. Some of which included explicit language such as passages from Maya Angelou’s memoir.
One difficulty that instructors have with the DOL is students receiving legally needed accommodations. Another factor is the content. ChatGPT generated the essay component of at least one DOL, according to KHOU 11.
After the story first aired HISD teachers were told that accommodations would be provided during the DOL. HISD released the following statement.
“Teachers absolutely must provide the legal accommodations for our students with IEPs and 504 plans. This has been the expectation since the first day of school. This is a place where teachers are not only encouraged but required to adapt the curriculum to the needs of individual students.”We have multiple teams in place to ensure all teachers have the guidance and support they need to provide accommodations.”
For many disabled people, accommodations are not unfair or significant advantages. Accommodations allow disabled people to work, live, and participate in community activities. We can accomplish so much if we are given the support we need.
Source:
Smith, Brandi. “HISD Teachers Accuse District of Prohibiting Disability Accommodations for Students.” KHOU, Tegna Inc. , 12 Oct. 2023, http://www.khou.com/article/news/education/disability-accommodations-for-hisd-students/285-5ca83a64-027c-4883-a8b8-a862b946faca.