Scholastic Pulls 9/11 Media Guide

This is getting entirely out of hand. What a crock of BS. This is disgusting.

New York, NY (September 7, 2006) -- Scholastic, the global children’s publishing, education and media company, today announced that it is removing from its website the materials originally created for classroom use in conjunction with the ABC Television Network docudrama, “The Path to 9/ll,” scheduled to air on the ABC Television Network on September 10 and 11, 2006. A new classroom discussion guide for high school students is being created and will focus more specifically on media literacy, critical thinking, and historical background.

“After a thorough review of the original guide that we offered online to about 25,000 high school teachers, we determined that the materials did not meet our high standards for dealing with controversial issues,” said Dick Robinson, Chairman, President and CEO of Scholastic. “At the same time, we believe that developing critical thinking and media literacy skills is crucial for students in today’s society in order to participate fully in our democracy and that a program such as ‘The Path to 9/11’ provides a very ‘teachable moment’ for developing these skills at the high school level. We encourage teachers not to shy away from the controversy surrounding the program, but rather to engage their students in meaningful, in-depth discussion.”

Comments

[Sticky Notes]

Key Statement on the Scholastic Site - and this must be the 'new and improved version'.
1. Media Literacy - what is a docudrama; how does it differ from a documentary; what are the differences between factual reporting and a dramatization?

I'n going to get an ulcer.

[Random Numbers]

"we determined that the materials did not meet our high standards for dealing with controversial issues,”

Is this EduSpeak for "Did not provide sufficient cover for a liberal or sufficient damnation to a conservative?"

[Myrtus]

How pathetic!

"We encourage teachers not to shy away from the controversy surrounding the program, but rather to engage their students in meaningful, in-depth discussion.”

What would be meaningful is more in-depth discussion of the controversy surrounding the media.

[xxx]

I'm a little unclear on how a TV movie 'dramatizing' a real life occurence using actors ever came to be part of any teaching guide in the first place??

What's next, turning The Godfather into a textbook on mob activities?

[JD]

I don't think this will ever air. Too many lawyers threatening libel lawsuits. Yeah, yeah, I know..a public figure...Blah, blah. But that is definitely NOT insurmountable!

[just wondering]

I'd love to know if Scholastic provided any kind of teaching guide for the pile of lies known as the movie 'JFK'. While they worry about protecting dem rear ends, half the kids coming out of school believe that movie was factual. But that's ok, it makes the government look evil.

[ajacksonian]

ABC has lost its guts... anyone remember The Day After? Nuclear war on America? Ring any bells? Absolute fiction... and yet, from the ever doubtable Wikipedia, but I do remember it like this: "The Day After received one of the largest promotional campaigns prior to its broadcast. Commercials aired several months in advance, ABC distributed half a million "viewer's guides," which discussed the dangers of nuclear war and prepared the viewer for the graphic scenes of mushroom clouds and radiation burn victims. Discussion groups were also formed nationwide. Schools required their students to watch it as a homework assignment and discuss it the next morning in class."

So nuclear war is ok for fiction, but putting a few bits of history together into one scene to condense them is bad?

ABC so cutting edge... now just 'cut'.

[J'hn1]

The correct comparison is not the Reagan miniseries, but the Rathergate memo.
even after it was proven that the purported Texas Air Guard memos were false, nobody was for sanctions, or even enforcing the two states' laws that have statutes against fraudulent documents to influence an election (Dem N.J. and RINO Ohio)

[kate]

gee whiz, i can't believe that i agree with triple x. i for one don't want the tikes believing anything they see or read in the media as truth. regardless, now the study guide is really getting dense.

" The guide will focus on three issues:

1. Media Literacy - what is a docudrama; how does it differ from a documentary; what are the differences between factual reporting and a dramatization?

2. Background to 9/11 - what are some of the causes of unrest in the Middle East and other parts of the world that give rise to attacks on the U.S. and other countries?

3. Geography and Culture -- there is a long history of conflict in the Middle East. How well do students understand each of the countries involved and what influences their behavior?"

how stupid. i can't begin to express my thoughts in words.

[DC]

For Scholastics problem

READ NEA A most liberal union specializing in taking member funds for left wing politics.

[Phoenix]

Taking member funds is right. They withdraw dues from teachers' salaries and do not tell them that all teachers are 'covered' by the NEA whether or not dues are paid. !! New teachers are accosted their first year to join and are lead to believe the dues are mandatory.

[flicka47]

I just sent the following email to Scholastic-

"– with deep respect for facts and logical thinking "

So, is the fact that the Democratic Caucus of the United States Congress has threatened the First Amendment Rights of ABC,Disney, and Scholastic going to be included in the sylabus?

Send Scholastic your own thoughts at,

kgood@scholastic.com

[nova]

It seems to be that this would be a GREAT teaching lesson and tool to inform students of the REAL world of information distribution. No matter which way you believe this story there is a good teaching oportunity here to study the Media and this story in particular. Trying to get at the real facts. Also it seems strange that this stuff was sent out to schools by Scholastic in the first place. Who is manipulating who? That is the question. I say let the kids and teachers research all this and try and get at the "truth".