EDGERTON (WKOW) — Mike Daly has gotten used to watching over his two kids’ schoolwork as they’ve settled into their virtual learning environment. However, he said he wasn’t prepared for what his wife wanted him to look over Wednesday night.
“She had walked in on my 9 and 12-year-old discussing what an abortion was,” Daly said.
Daly said what prompted the discussion was his 12-year-old daughter’s seventh grade social studies assignment. Edgerton Superintendent Dennis Pauli confirmed Thursday seventh graders in the middle school were assigned to fill out the Britannica 2020 presidential election survey. It included questions about issues including abortion, drug policy, and illegal immigration.
“Thankfully, we got involved before she had to learn too much about too many complicated things so we didn’t have to explain much to her,” Daly said. “She’s a bright kid and she googled what she needed to Google so that pretty much explained it to her, unfortunately.”
Pauli said both he and the middle school principal, Clark Bretthauer, agreed the survey was inappropriate for that age group. Pauli said the teacher has since removed access to the survey and the school sent both email and phone messages to the parents of students who received the assignment.
Pauli shared a copy of the letter with 27 News:
Good Evening Parents/Guardians,
I would like to apologize for a 7th grade social studies survey that students were asked to complete at home today.
The assignment was inappropriate for middle school students and will not be utilized at any point in the future. Therefore, students will not be asked to complete this survey.
Please contact me if you have any questions.
Daly said he is not upset with the teacher who issued the assignment and does not want there to be any discipline.
“I can sympathize with teachers right now,” he said. “It’s gotta be really hard to be a teacher and find ways over virtual learning to keep the kids engaged. I think this is a teachable moment for what to do and what not to do.”
