The Hidden Curriculum In A Middle School

The Hidden Curriculum in a Middle School
By
Dr. Jimmie R. Applegate

This is a true story of the potential impact of the “hidden curriculum” in one public school in Washington State. Names, genders and locations have been changed, but the events actually happened. My purpose in writing this is to illustrate that American rights not only are being lost by overt political action but also as a consequences of overt—and I hope unintended but not well thought out—actions by public school teachers and administrators.
April not only heralds the advent of May flowers. It also marks the beginning of the Associated Student Body election process in many public schools. Students in Mayflower Middle School who are interested in “applying for ASB/Leadership” positions must attend one of two meetings to be “eligible for ASB/Leadership”.
Potential candidates are given an “ASB Elected Officer Application” form to complete and submit. Students elected to office must agree to complete a year long elective called Leadership Class. Admission requirements for this class include a 2.8 GPA and four teacher recommendations “showing they come highly recommended—scoring an average of at least 80%”. In addition candidates must have a 3.0 cumulative GPA and “must average at least 56 out of 70 points (80%) between all 4 teacher recommendations” (emphasis added). The recommendation section of the Application Form is made more confusing by the statement “Candidates should have at least an average of 80% from all his/her recommendations” (emphasis added). Potentialcandidates also are required to answer 8-9 questions one of which is “As an ASB Officer you will need to think of and implement ideas which will get other students involved in school activities. What ideas do you have for including or involving more students?”
These requirements ensure the teachers and administrators retain total control over the selection of candidates. Voting by the students is no more than a pro forma exercise that guarantees a candidate “acceptable” to teachers and administrators is elected.
When Jane, a nearly straight A student, received this note she was shocked: “Dear Jane Eyre. Thank you for applying for an officer position…. Unfortunately you are ineligible to run because some of your forms were incomplete…Thanks, Leadership”. Jane couldn’t believe the reason since she had devoted a lot of time to prepare her application. Her parents agreed and contacted Mayflower Middle School and asked which of Jane’s forms were incomplete. The parents were told the application forms had been shredded and they did not know. The parents asked the principal for clarification. The principal agreed there were inconsistencies in the process and said he would solicit four teacher recommendations—which he did apparently discounting the reason Jane was ineligible was because “some of your forms were incomplete”. Following this Jane’s parents were informed that she was ineligible this time because her scores did not average 70%--one teacher scored Jane 21 points below the “should have” 70 points. After further discussion with the parents the principal agreed the procedure was flawed and that all candidates declared ineligible due to recommendation forms with scores below 80% could run. Problem solved.
But wait, Jane was then told she would have to change her speech to the student body in which she suggested changing the time for a school event to involve more students in the activity. She was told that was a decision that already been made unilaterally by the administration and was not subject to discussion. And further when Jane was taping her televised speech she was told after four attempts to get it the way she wanted she was out of time and no more attempts could be made. Another student was given 23 times to “get it right”. Sound equal?
Parents must get involved in all school activities. Ask to see detailed written policies and procedures about school elections. Many Americans have fought and died to protect our sacred American right to vote our choice. Don’t let that right be sabotaged by the hidden curriculum,or by the consequences of actions by school administrators and teachers..
If middle school students are learning from the “hidden curriculum that this is the way elections are conducted in a federal republic form of democracy, the once bright light of American exceptionalism is rapidly dimming. Our American rights are under constant overt attack by forces that discourage or prohibit free speech which might, for example, offend Muslims, but the lessons learned from the “hidden curriculum” in schools are covert. Not only are they covert but they are insidious and must not be permitted in the public schools of the United States.