Mary Ann Duffy wrote:
>
> I have been following this discussion with great interest and admire the
> courage of the person fighting for inclusive curriculum for her daughter
> (sorry, only numbers show in the line saying from whom it comes.) I
> teach at a woman-centered school in Toronto and we have been working for
> five years to develop inclusive curriculum as learning channels for our
> young women and try very hard to share it with whoever is interested.
> The public school boards aren't, the funding agencies to give us some
> grant money to write it up aren't, but whenever we appear at
> conferences, our sessions are crowded and lively.
>
> As a parent, I'd like to say what I would do. I would send a note to
> the teacher, returning the list and suggesting that in order for your
> daughter to get the most out of the assignment, she would prefer to work
> on a woman composer. I would present the teacher with a written list of
> women composers and ask her to choose which one she prefers your
> daughter to investigate. State in your note that if she does not wish
> to choose one, your daughter will. Be clear, firm and polite. Copy the
> letter to the principal and ass't superintendent. Ask for a written
> reply immediately, since your daughter is anxious to begin work on the
> assignment.
>
> I will always regret that what I know now about inequity in schools I
> did not know in 1977 when my daughter, in a prestigious
> university-funded school for gifted kids, was told that her French book
> report could NOT be by a Quebecois author. We did not fight it, because
> she didn't want to be singled out. We would now.
>
> Good luck. I agree with the poster who keeps suggesting that you NOT go
> to court, but try to build alliances. I know it seems hard, but as I
> have worked as consultant and teacher over the years, I see much more
> willingness to change when everybody saves face. You hold ALL the cards
> here, as far as I can see. Good luck in playing them.
> Mary Ann Duffy <maryduff@enoreo.on.ca>
> ___________________________________________
>
> C123S105L wrote:
> >
> > lINDA: tODAY MARCH 19 my daughter came home with another all male list of
> > composers !!!!!that is after the incident of the previous list with the same
> > music teacher, after this teacher had two conferences with the principal and
> > after the
> > assistant superintendent (also TITLE IX coordinator stepped in) I asked
Ingrid
> > if she would be willing to go to the teacher and tell her in her own words
> > that she does not think this is fair because she knows there are women
> > composers and will she please assign her one to to work on. Then I began to
> > think that perhaps that is no fair
> > for me to ask that Ingrid begin to do at this age. So Iam wondering two
> > things. First is how you would handle it and the second thing is that we
(you
> > and I ) seem to be in total agreement regarding how we think TITLE IX must
be
> > used for changes in ALL
> > male oriented curriculums and Iam wondering if you yourself as a parent have
> > done
> > this challenge at any legal level yet? We are going to ask to see this
teacher
> > in
> > person now. You can answer me privately if you prefer.
> > Lesemann <C123S105L@aol.com>