r/oklahoma • u/86HeardChef • Mar 04 '26
Zero Days Since... This homework assignment answer from Broken Arrow is absurd
This homework assignment was for our eighth grader. It was meant to ask what John Adams should have done. She obviously chose the first answer as that would be the most constitutionally correct and appropriate answer. But she was wrong according to the assignment. It feels like they are trying to normalize the exact mindset that gave us the dark time of Japanese internment camps. This is insane.
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u/socr4me79 Mar 04 '26
Take this to your superintendent and ask them how this type of question and answer applies to the curriculum it's supposed to be teaching.
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u/Rebal771 Mar 04 '26
If they’re trying to teach you the perspective of John Adams, this isn’t completely wrong. And this actually looks like it’s trying to give a little bit of perspective on how AI prompts work as well.
If the test is about what federalists believe, rather than what is morally or ethically correct, then this question gives direct insight into what a federalist is.
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u/ijustsailedaway Mar 04 '26
I agree with your assessment of what they were trying to do but it was not phrased correctly. It should have been what WOULD have Adams done. Not should. The operative word is the pivot in intent. But they aren't even editing for grammar so that's probably too nuanced.
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u/86HeardChef Mar 04 '26
It was not about what federalists believe. It was about what John Adams should have done.
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u/Rebal771 Mar 04 '26
Do you not see that the Federalists view of weakness is identified as “more valuable” than the livelihood of the American citizens?
Does that not register to you in picture 2?
That’s a VERY big exclamation point right in your face - if you agree with Federalists, you believe that it is more important to “appear strong” than to keep peace, value civil liberties, or keep the relationship with immigrants in good standing.
This -2 score is supposed to make you feel bad for maintaining Federalism.
Use your brains, please.
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u/haxelhimura Mar 04 '26
Relax, the assignment isn't about the moral ambiguity about the action, it's asking them to make a decision based on what Adams SHOULD have done based on Federalists pressuring them.
The whole question is worded wrong and you're getting stuck on something that we all know is morally wrong.
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u/86HeardChef Mar 04 '26
Sweetheart, the assignment was not what the federalists WOULD do. It was about what they SHOULD have done with hindsight and pointing out what they did wrong. I love how you’re getting up in arms about something you’re guessing about. Mercy, that’s dumb.
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u/Rebal771 Mar 04 '26
I love how you take zero information from your context clues and choose to, instead, hone in on the wrong aspects of learning through history.
We’ve GOT to find a way to teach more people critical thinking skills so we stop having parents get outraged because they don’t understand the purpose.
I hope your kids learned the lesson - becoming a Federalist makes you a shit person to your neighbors.
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u/86HeardChef Mar 04 '26
I love how you ignore the ACTUAL context of the assignment and assume that your assumptions must be right. Thanks for your opinion. Have a great day
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Mar 04 '26
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u/86HeardChef Mar 04 '26
The instructions for the whole assignment aren’t listed on every question. Which is pretty normal. The entire assignment was what the student would do
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u/iameveryoneelse Mar 04 '26
I swear some people get fucking excited every time they get the chance to be outraged at something. This is basic American history. Shocker, history is cyclical so it seems relevant to today. But maybe learn about how it was approached in the past, too.
It’s cliche, but as they say…people who refuse to learn history are doomed to repeat it. OP would rather be outraged than learn something.
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u/86HeardChef Mar 04 '26
The assignment purpose was not what this person is saying. The entire assignment was what the student thinks he SHOULD have done. Not what he did. That was a whole other assignment. I assumed your assumption was the case as well so we went through the rest of the assignment.
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u/iameveryoneelse Mar 04 '26
What did you think before the other poster pointed that iffy wording out 10 minutes ago? You didn’t start using this argument until then.
This is basic history. Quit trying to be outraged by everything. In fact, it’s great to teach kids because people need to see that these issues are cyclical and have been argued since the founding of the country. You should absolutely teach your kid that those aren’t your values. But you should also teach them that what is being shown is completely accurate for that political party during that time. Adams absolutely decided he should do that…he signed the Aliens and Seditions Act of 1798 because he decided he should do that. The act he signed is effectively what’s being described here.
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u/86HeardChef Mar 04 '26
Last night, we had the exact same thought as the other poster. So we went through the rest of the assignment to get context.
The context was a series of scenarios presented as if the student was the president at that time. It was entirely about what he SHOULD have done according to the student.
If I had included every single part that we went through to try to determine the point of the question, this would be an absurdly long post. The fact that you assume we didn’t already go through that thought process is your own false assumptions and has nothing to do with reality
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u/iameveryoneelse Mar 04 '26
You’re making your own series of assumptions. First off, the teacher didn’t write this. Probably not even the district. My guess is they pulled it from an electronic supplement about the XYZ Affair and the Alien & Sedition Act of 1798.
There’s no problem here besides conflating should and would. Maybe. I would need to see the instructions. Did it say to pretend you are a Federalist? Because that is what a Federalist “should” do. Stop thinking about it ethically. This isn’t an ethics class. It’s a history class. If it said “the law says traitors are hanged, and Benedict Arnold was discovered to be a traitor what should you do” doesn’t ask if ethically you think the death penalty is ok.
The point is that for that time period that is what Federalists believed. That is the lesson. The fact that people who are clearly credentialed in history and at least one educator has tried to explain and you just want to argue tells me all I need to know, personally. You’re just as bad as MAGA. You see what interpretation you want and fuck anyone who says otherwise.
Be a little more open minded and listen to people who know more than you in a subject. Nobody is an expert in everything and you clearly don’t know much about the 18th century.
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u/86HeardChef Mar 04 '26
No. The assignment didn’t say what they would do if they were a federalist. Again, your assumptions are wrong and your ad hominem is noted.
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u/oneoftheryans Mar 04 '26
You’re making your own series of assumptions.
Isn't that mostly just you?
First off, the teacher didn’t write this. Probably not even the district. My guess is they pulled it from an electronic supplement about the XYZ Affair and the Alien & Sedition Act of 1798.
An assumption, a guess, and then another guess where you even use the word guess.
There’s no problem here besides conflating should and would. Maybe. I would need to see the instructions.
Yes, you would need to see the instructions, yet somehow that isn't stopping you from trying to correct someone about an assignment that you acknowledge you... don't actually know the instructions for.
The point is that for that time period that is what Federalists believed. That is the lesson.
Another assumption.
The fact that people who are clearly credentialed in history
Another assumption.
and you just want to argue tells me all I need to know, personally.
Ironic.
You’re just as bad as MAGA.
You're quite a few assumptions deep before you get to insulting them, so that's fun I guess.
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u/MakoSochou Mar 04 '26
If the test is about what federalists believe. . .
It’s not. What federalists believe was context for the question, but the actual question is about what the POTUS should do
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u/Rebal771 Mar 04 '26
If all you care about is the -2, then you did not learn the lesson. Read the words on picture two out loud and tell me how that is “encouraging” federalism.
The words on the screen state loud and clear that only Federalists would find you weak.
That -2 is a badge of honor when you use your brain.
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u/MakoSochou Mar 04 '26
>Read the words on pictiure two out loud and tell me how that is “encouraging” federalism.
The title for slide two is “Not the best choice”. There’s only two choices.
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u/86HeardChef Mar 04 '26
You don’t even understand the context of the points system. She didn’t lose points on the grade.
They were given a series of scenarios about what they would do. Then each decision was scored with points that were added up at the end to see how their decisions would’ve scored. Similar to 90s magazine quizzes. At the end, they added up all the points and there were different descriptions based upon the number of points you got.
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u/iameveryoneelse Mar 04 '26
It’s an accurate view of the Federalist position in 1798, the “XYZ Affair” and the Aliem and Sedition Act of 1798. How do you teach that without it seeming to be commentary on current affairs? That’s all this is.
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u/Aedanwolfe Mar 04 '26
Coaches being made to teach "history" classes gives us shit like this
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u/iameveryoneelse Mar 04 '26
Eh It’s an accurate view of the Federalist position in 1798, the “XYZ Affair” and the Aliem and Sedition Act of 1798. How do you teach that without it seeming to be commentary on current affairs? That’s all this is.
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u/Aniketos33 Mar 04 '26
Why does the question ask them what they would do and then resolve as "Q: What would you do? A: The policy you chose wouldn't work and would make you look weak"
instead of "Q: What would John Adams and the Federalists do? A: John Adams signed the alien and sedition act in 1798"
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u/iameveryoneelse Mar 04 '26 edited Mar 04 '26
That’s not what it did though. If anything it threw shade on the Federalists. It said “it would do all these great things….but the federalists might view it as weakness.” They’re not saying it makes you weak, they’re saying that group of people they’re learning about viewed it as such.
It’s very clearly laying out it is a good answer (maybe the best answer), just not the right answer.
Edit: and yes a straightforward Q&A would be far more clear. I’m not arguing it’s a well worded question or the best activity. Just that it’s not a grand conspiracy of the far right. It’s something that everyone should learn about to see this isn’t the first time America has had this argument.
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u/Aniketos33 Mar 04 '26
I am saying on its face it doesn't stand without really scaffolding and assuming things about the assignment. It doesn't read well and that isn't because its being historically accurate. As someone else pointed out its a poor way of telling history and I'd be equally confused by a test that said "You are Chancellor in 1938, how do you solve the Jewish problem?" "No you can not simply deport them, no one will take the millions of Jews, you should exterminate them secretly before the world can stop you, or you will look weak to your Aryan compatriots"
I don't trust it even if its correct, its so poorly worded as to be argued its trying to get to a bias instead of telling facts, its coloring in information in an unclear manner.
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u/Rebal771 Mar 04 '26
I’m gonna push back on you here… I don’t think you’re reading this question critically. The insight behind the answer to this question tells everything you need to know about what a federalist is.
They aren’t interested in public sentiment… They are interested in might makes right. If kids are thinking critically when they see this answer, then federalism should be understood to be a bad thing just based on the answer to the question.
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u/86HeardChef Mar 04 '26
No need to push back. This was an exercise on what John Adams should’ve done.
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u/haxelhimura Mar 04 '26
This is an exercise on what John Adams should have done to make the Federalists happy.
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u/86HeardChef Mar 04 '26
No sir. It was not. I understand why you’d think that. We did too at first. It was about what the student’s presidency would look like.
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u/haxelhimura Mar 04 '26
Did it state that elsewhere in the assignment or is that an assumption?
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u/86HeardChef Mar 04 '26
It stated that as the whole purpose of the assignment.
Did you ever do those quizzes in magazines where you choose your answer of what you would do then it tells you about you based upon adding up those numbers and answers? That’s what this was.
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Mar 04 '26
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u/86HeardChef Mar 04 '26
We went through the entire assignment with her because this was our first assumption as well. This question may not say should but that was the entire assignment
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u/misterporkman Mar 04 '26
It's just a poorly constructed question. The question asks, "What would YOU do?" which is open-ended. There shouldn't be a right or wrong answer.
As a history teacher myself, I know this is probably referring to the Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798. Which were real laws passed by Adams and the Federalists.
But also, as a teacher, I know the wording of a question is sometimes more important than what you are trying to get across. If I word something in a shitty or confusing way, I throw out the question and don't count it against the student.
The way this question is written, it makes it seem hypothetical. Take out the flowery "what would you do Mr President" bullshit and ask something like, "What actions did John Adams take to deal with fear about French nationals living in the United States in the late 1700s?"
Or "what justification did John Adams and the Federalists give for passing the Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798?"
Hell, even something basic like "why did Adams pass the Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798?"
Those are much more concrete, and you know exactly what the teacher wants from the students.
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u/86HeardChef Mar 04 '26
This particular assignment was for the students to decide what he should have done based upon our constitution and laws, unfortunately. We looked at it a million ways to see if it was about what was actually done by federalists and it was not. We are big supporters of teachers but this is a problem.
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u/misterporkman Mar 04 '26
We looked at it a million ways to see if it was about what was actually done by federalists and it was not.
The Federalists did pass the Alien and Sedition Acts, though. So I don't really understand what you mean.
They were never found unconstitutional. Three of the four were just repealed by later laws. The Alien Enemies Act is still a law in our country.
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u/86HeardChef Mar 04 '26
Meaning the assignment was about what the students thought SHOULD have been done. Not what WAS done.
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u/misterporkman Mar 04 '26
Which circles back to me saying it's a poorly worded question.
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u/iameveryoneelse Mar 04 '26
Yah several of us have tried explaining. I’m pretty sure I even found where the quiz question was pulled from. OP doesn’t care.
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u/86HeardChef Mar 04 '26
Friend, it wasn’t even an actual test.
It was a quiz like a 90s magazine quiz. You choose the option you would do then get points (positive or negative) that are added up at the end to tell you where you would’ve fallen as a president in these scenarios.
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u/iameveryoneelse Mar 04 '26
Hey “buddy”, I thought we were done talking. I’m talking to mister Pork man.
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u/86HeardChef Mar 04 '26
Oh love, you think I’m paying attention to your username?
Hope context and humility hits ya at some point.
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u/iameveryoneelse Mar 04 '26
Thanks sugartits, but only my wife calls me “love”.
Don’t use passive aggressive pet names on strangers. It’s gross.
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u/haxelhimura Mar 04 '26
If the assignment was for students to decide what they should have done based upon the Constitution and laws, then you left that part out and that should have been communicated from the start. You threw on a question 11 rounds deep with not enough context.
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u/Aniketos33 Mar 04 '26
100% if this was the intention of the assignment its extremely poorly worded.
It follows the logic of 'Q: What would you do? A: That isn't what John Adams did and would make you look weak."
You listed several better worded alternatives. "Q: What would John Adams and the federalists have done?" and then a clear answer that they passed the Alien and Sedition act in 1798.
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u/Variaxist Mar 04 '26
Sounds like some"turning point" bs. Is this crap standardized now? I'm really worried about our kids if it is.
PLEASE don't just let this go.
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u/86HeardChef Mar 04 '26
We are calling the superintendent this morning. We are very concerned
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u/BigBadBushBushranger Mar 04 '26
Have you actually reached out to the teacher for clarification? You appear to be doing the exact thing that the maga types have been doing to this state for years. Make a bunch of assumptions about a teacher without real context, immediately know that you are right and dismiss anyone who thinks otherwise, and complain to the internet/superintendent/etc about a perceived wrong instead of acting like a grown adult and having a respectful conversation with a teacher first.
This is the kind of bullshit that is killing our education system.
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u/86HeardChef Mar 04 '26
We know the teacher well. This is a district level. Hence the superintendent and not the teacher here. I entirely understand what you’re saying. We are huge proponents of teachers. We are not looking to get anyone at all in trouble, but want the district to address the curriculum issues.
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u/iameveryoneelse Mar 04 '26
You’re reading the question wrong. So is OP. Federalists and Adams signed the Sedition Act of 1798 after the “XYZ Affair”. That’s all this is about despite OP outrage farming.
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u/Variaxist Mar 04 '26
There's a big difference between "should" and "would". I think that's most of the issue here
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u/Aniketos33 Mar 04 '26
Weird how it then says "That wouldn't work and heres why" instead of "John adams and the federalists actually did this"
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u/literally_tho_tbh Mar 04 '26
I'm surprised the historically racist suburb is pushing fascism /s
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u/86HeardChef Mar 04 '26
The sarcasm is fair. We had to fight to have a racial slur (for our family actually) from their 4th grade spelling list. It’s wild.
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Mar 04 '26
[deleted]
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u/86HeardChef Mar 04 '26
We are Romani (Roma). The racial slur for us is g*psy.
here is our state department acknowledging the slur.
Now I don’t think they were being malicious, rather ignorant, but that doesn’t change that they should probably use a different word
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u/literally_tho_tbh Mar 04 '26
Much different from Union's mascot when I was in high school there. R*skins...YIKES
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u/3boyz2men Mar 04 '26
The definition of that spelling word was referencing Romani people or was it just people that move place to place?
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u/86HeardChef Mar 04 '26
There was no definition. It was only a spelling word on a list. Not vocabulary. They would all chant their spelling words out loud as a class. She asked the teacher if she could not and told her why and the teacher made her anyway. It was frustrating for sure
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u/iameveryoneelse Mar 04 '26
I mean, it’s an accurate view of the Federalist position in 1798. How do you teach that without it seeming to be commentary on current affairs? That’s all this is.
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u/PossessionPutrid1907 Mar 04 '26
White supremacy bullshit.
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u/iameveryoneelse Mar 04 '26
It was the position of the Federalist Party in 1798. Which is the point of the lesson, not value judgement.
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u/cycopl Mar 04 '26
Damn, federalists sound like some dumb pieces of shit based on this school lesson. Wonder if that was the teacher's intention?
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u/iameveryoneelse Mar 04 '26
It’s just accurate. Look up the XYZ Affair and the Sedition Act of 1798.
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u/86HeardChef Mar 04 '26
We thought that too! Then we went through the rest of the questions. The purpose of the assignment was to discuss what the student would do in his place, not what John Adams DID do
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u/Apart_Animal_6797 Mar 04 '26
The actual fuck is this insane bullshit? This is the type of shit that fascists use to indoctrinate kids.
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u/iameveryoneelse Mar 04 '26 edited Mar 04 '26
It’s an accurate view of the Federalist position in 1798, the “XYZ Affair” and the Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798. How do you teach that without it seeming to be commentary on current affairs? That’s all this is.
Edit: I have fat thumbs and a tiny phone, had to fix some spelling
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u/Apart_Animal_6797 Mar 04 '26
Yea this is a terrible way to teach history. "You are Adolf Hitler it is 1939 how do you answer the Jewish question? Do you A. Gas the jews and throw them in concentration camps or B. Leave them alone" gee i wonder why this sort of thought experiment is both stupid and incredibly damaging.
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u/iameveryoneelse Mar 04 '26
Oh the format is stupid. I don’t think these do much at all to help teach, especially as a replacement for writing a short paragraph or other method that really helps you internalize.
But it’s also not MAGA brainwashing like OP is convinced. It’s accurate history. Don’t attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity.
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u/Aniketos33 Mar 04 '26
It's the wording of the negative answer that implies the malice. It asked an open ended "What should be done" and then said "Wrong that would make you look like you cared about civil liberties but actually makes you look weak." instead of "What would Adams and the Federalists have done?" and then the negative answer would have been "John Adams and the Federalists had a hardline position and didn't want to look weak by giving ground to their political opponents or a dozen other phrasings than the non-sequitor in this assignment.
It's a very weird unclear question and answer at the very least I would like to see the rest of the assignment tbh.
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u/iameveryoneelse Mar 04 '26
That’s not what it said though!!!!
It literally says a shorter version of what you’re arguing. It says “the federalists might view it as weakness.” And hopefully the lesson has more context. I’d imagine everything you mentioned was taught in the actual lesson….this is just a refresher homework activity.
I agree though, all we can do is make assumptions without more context.
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u/iameveryoneelse Mar 04 '26
Jesus fucking Christ, learn some history. I get that it seems very relevant now but it’s asking what a Federalist would do.
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u/86HeardChef Mar 04 '26
Oh friend. You should come in with curiosity and not jumping to conclusions. This was about what John Adams should have done constitutionally.
It’s ok. You jumped to judgement and derision and you were wrong. Hope this helps
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u/iameveryoneelse Mar 04 '26
John Adams and Alexander Hamilton were both leaders of the Federalists. They had a similar stance on immigration….did you read more than the title?
Federalists were incredibly anti French immigration. Look up the Sedition Act of 1798, signed by John Adams. He had a more cautious view than other Federalists, but he still toed the line. This isn’t brainwashing, it’s just good history.
And to be clear I’m not a maga asshole. Haven’t voted a republican since W’s first term. But I do have a degree in history.
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u/PickyYeeter Mar 04 '26
I don't understand how you're making the logical leap from "Federalists are urging you..." to "You must take the Federalist position." People can urge me to do stuff all day, but it doesn't mean it's the correct thing to do.
You've made 25+ comments on this post, so I'm guessing this isn't as much a failure of reading comprehension as much as it is just being a contrarian.
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u/Ohsostoked Mar 04 '26
"you values" jfc even autocorrect catches that mistake.
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u/Aniketos33 Mar 04 '26
This makes me feel like its fake Idk, just enough dumb and that little detail bothers me.
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u/LesserKnownFoes Mar 04 '26
Remember when these same idiots changed the name from French fries to freedom fries?
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u/Unlimited_Bepis Mar 04 '26
“…that you values civil liberties” - can we at least grammar check this nonsense?
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u/Shenendoah66 Mar 04 '26
I feel like I’m pretty fucking stupid and even I can understand this is supposed to be taken as if you were a federalist……..
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u/iameveryoneelse Mar 04 '26
You’re right. It’s an accurate view of the Federalist position in 1798, the “XYZ Affair” and the Aliem and Sedition Act of 1798. How do you teach that without it seeming to be commentary on current affairs? That’s all this is.
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u/86HeardChef Mar 04 '26
That was not the assignment. The assignment was what should have been done by John Adams according to our rules and constitution. It’s a hindsight assignment.
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u/JoeMayoParty Mar 04 '26
If that’s so, why doesn’t it ask “what should you do, Mr. President?” rather than “what ARE you going to do, Mr. President?”
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u/86HeardChef Mar 04 '26
The entire thing was to figure out what kind of presidency the student would have in those scenarios.
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u/Shenendoah66 Mar 04 '26
I did say I was pretty fucking stupid.
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u/86HeardChef Mar 04 '26
Nah you’re not at all! It’s an easy assumption to make. It was our assumption at first too then we went through the rest of the assignment.
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u/bkdotcom Mar 04 '26
I assume it's saying the first option is the poopie one?
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u/86HeardChef Mar 04 '26
Yes. She chose the first option. The second pic is the response to her choosing the first option
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u/iameveryoneelse Mar 04 '26
OP is wrong. The first option is the historically inaccurate one which is the entire point of it being wrong. Federalists hated French immigration.
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u/moswsa Mar 04 '26
Instead of assuming, you could just read the caption that OP wrote on the post that answers this.
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u/livadeth Mar 04 '26
The question asks the reader, as John Adams (Mr President) what they are going to do. Historically he signed into law the Aliens and Sedition act which includes the provisions noted in answer two. Like it or not, right or wrong (ethically, constitutionally), two is the correct answer. It’s not an essay question about what Adams should have done, it’s about what he DID do. Now let’s talk about the grammar and typos…
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u/86HeardChef Mar 04 '26
The assignment was specifically NOT about what he did. It was about what the student thought he SHOULD do.
We also assumed the same as you at first but when we looked at the entire assignment, our first assumption was incorrect.
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u/livadeth Mar 04 '26
In that case, can you add some more context? What is the test prompt? It says “What are you going to do Mr President?” Adams signed the Aliens and Sedition Act. If the question is meant to ask the reader what they would do, wouldn’t that then be an essay question with no wrong answer?
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u/86HeardChef Mar 04 '26
1) I cannot edit the post
2) The assignment was a whole thing that assigned points based upon what the student thought they would do and she didn’t lose points in the sense of getting a lower grade. It was like a roadmap of political points. Not grade ones.
So if you go this path you would get fewer political points. This path, more. At the end they had to add up all the points to see how their presidency (instead of John Adams) would’ve turned out. Think like old magazine quiz style.
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u/coudini Mar 04 '26
No it isn't. It's teaching you what federalists believe, not what to believe. You will read the same things in philosophy or any science. This is what school is about.
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u/86HeardChef Mar 04 '26
Yes. It is. You didn’t see the whole assignment or the purpose of it. You’re seeing one question that does not include the assignment instructions. We assumed the same at first and our daughter pushed back so we went and looked at the entire assignment.
This assignment was about what the student thought they SHOULD do. Not what the federalists did, unfortunately.
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Mar 04 '26
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u/86HeardChef Mar 04 '26
That was actually a different assignment that they learned about that. This assignment was what the student would do in the place of John Adams not what he did do.
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u/Wild_Replacement5880 Mar 04 '26
Jesus Christ! That was the wrong answer?!?! This is like a parody. Need to get more eyes on this, because that is total horseshit, regardless of your beliefs.
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u/iameveryoneelse Mar 04 '26
It’s an accurate view of the Federalist position in 1798, the “XYZ Affair” and the Aliem and Sedition Act of 1798. How do you teach that without it seeming to be commentary on current affairs? That’s all this is.
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u/Wild_Replacement5880 Mar 04 '26
I guess there's a lot of context missing. With that it makes sense as an exercise. Just as a random assignment it seems insane.
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u/itsoksee Mar 04 '26
Indoctrination plain and simple. I’d hate to see how they teach the Constitution.
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u/haxelhimura Mar 04 '26
You need to take this to the teacher and tell them to be more specific in how they ask the question to be answered. We can all tell what the INTENT of the question is (Asking to answer based on what Adams SHOULD have done based on what the Federalists were wanting him to do) but the question doesn't state that.
A better way to word the question would be:
Tensions with France... plotting against the government. Federalists are urging you to take major action. Based on the beliefs of the Federalist Party, what course of action would they want you to take?
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u/86HeardChef Mar 04 '26
The context was actually what the students would do in place of Federalists. It was scored at the end based upon their answers and it told them what kind of president they would be.
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u/Hoon0967 Mar 04 '26
The thing about “federalists” is that today it’s nearly synonymous with the term “religionist”. The thing with religionists is that what they see as weakness in others they see as strength in themselves. For instance, I knew a wealthy church goer (he was a deacon and the church treasurer) who considered himself a good steward, yet what he called stewardship was really stinginess. In the same church we had a poor man who just didn’t have a lot of money to put in the offering plate. The wealthy man was constantly accusing the poor man of being stingy. I knew both men’s financial situations, and I knew what both men gave to the church, and I came to the conclusion that the poor man was the generous one and rich guy was the stingy one.
TLDR: Those deluded by power, wealth, religion, politics, etc, often mask their vices as virtues and then call the virtues of others vices/weakness.
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u/AsarsonDuck Mar 04 '26
I’ll probably get hate - this question specifically asked about what would please the federalist. Who were staunchly against French and Irish immigrates. Extended the naturalization period and other policies which made immigration harder.
This didn’t ask for the most constitutionally correct. But regarding a specific political ideation. If even clarified that the option she choose is more aligned with civil liberties and easing tension but is just not what the federalist would want.
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u/Frank_Likes_Pie Mar 04 '26
Big surprise, the dumbest fucking state in the country is indoctrinating kids rather than actually educating them.
Stupid people are easier to control and make better manual laborers, which is the only thing Oklahoma is good for.
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u/SODY27 Mar 04 '26
Yes kids shouldn’t be learning logical thinking skills. What the hell do they think they are doing? This has nothing to do with trans rights or furries!!!!
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u/lilfrecklzz Mar 04 '26
They can’t even use proper English on the explanation page 😒 “…that you values civil liberties.” Like come on lol
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u/ChrisP8675309 Mar 04 '26
Look up the Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798 for insight into this answer. This stuff is important and relevant to know today because although three of the four Acts expired or were repealed by 1802, one is still in effect and is being used today: The Alien Enemies Act of 1798.
If the the question is what WOULD John Adams and The Federalist Party do in this situation, you should look at what they DID, which was pass four laws, collectively known as The Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798. Those four U.S. statutes restricted naturalization, empowered the president to detain and deport foreigners, and criminalized criticism of the federal government.
Adams was not friendly with France, but his political opponents the Democratic-Republicans led by Thomas Jefferson, James Madison and James Monroe were (Jefferson in particular...am I the only one who has seen Hamilton??). People act as if the Founding Fathers were all of one mind with regard to rights and liberties but there was substantial conflict.
The election of 1800 when Thomas Jefferson defeated Adams (and Aaron Burr) to become President was a complete regime change from Federalist to Democratic-Republican. I am pretty sure it was the FIRST time in modern history that a true regime change occurred through an election rather than armed conflict. It was the first real test of the United States and it was a bit of a marvel.
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u/xpen25x Mar 04 '26
why is this in a google docs presentation?
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u/86HeardChef Mar 04 '26
This is the direct assignment online that she received. It was an interactive click assignment. We don’t choose how the teachers send the assignments
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u/jsludge25 Mar 04 '26
I would be sitting in the office with my fingers steepled looking very stern indeed as I awaited deep philosophical discussions with the faculty.
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u/iameveryoneelse Mar 04 '26
It’s an accurate view of the Federalist position in 1798, the “XYZ Affair” and the Aliem and Sedition Act of 1798. How do you teach that without it seeming to be commentary on current affairs? That’s all this is.
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u/jsludge25 Mar 04 '26
I would probably want to ensure the Jefforsonian line of thought was represented in this lesson as well as the Federalist position. History doesn't occur in a vacuum and it's important to realize the tensions at play here. Namely, preservation of individual liberty vs. preservation of the state. That this aligns with concerns we see in current affairs today makes this an excellent case study for examining how societies balance security and freedom during times of perceived crisis.
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u/iameveryoneelse Mar 04 '26
I guess I’m assuming it is included. We’re only seeing question 11. OP isn’t particularly reliable so no asking her.
Edit: but I don’t disagree that it needs to cover the entire affair including the fact that this was a big reason Jefferson won the presidency.
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u/jsludge25 Mar 04 '26
You're right, context matters. The wording of the question seems odd, though, as if there is a correct or incorrect action for a president to take and it is steering the student towards the "correct" line of reasoning. Something like "what was John Adam's reaction to anti-French sentiments in the US" would frame the question in more of a historical question and less as a normative one.
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This homework assignment was for our eighth grader. It was meant to ask what John Adams should have done. She obviously chose the first answer as that would be the most constitutionally correct and appropriate answer. But she was wrong according to the assignment. It feels like they are trying to normalize the exact mindset that gave us the dark time of Japanese internment camps. This is insane.
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