The other day I received an email about the upcoming course curriculum for my son’s academic English class at Huntsville High School.

Uhm, I have no idea what they’re teaching, but it’s definitely not about English. Seriously.

This is the email (copy and pasted)

Subject: Guest Speakers David Rice and Susan Stein

David Rice – March 20

David Rice will be coming into our classroom during the regularly scheduled time to speak with NBE3U (Grade 11 University English) on Thursday March 20, 2025. David Rice is a speaker on Indigenous culture and issues – he’s a youth advisor, addictions counsellor, Gladue court worker, spiritual guide, and former band councillor. He will be coming into our class to help us begin our new novel study of There There. Topics – what does it mean to speak about “Authentic” indigenous peoples, confronting stereotypes and expectations, and indigenous symbols appropriated and used in strange ways. 

Curriculum Connections:

A1. Exploring 

Explore themes related to First Nations, Métis, and Inuit identities, relationships, and self-determination, sovereignty, or self-governance, as reflected in text forms created in Canada, formulating questions and comparing perspectives to stimulate a well-reasoned exchange of ideas about these topics

B2. Listening to Understand

listen to oral texts from and/or related to First Nations, Métis, and Inuit cultures in order to understand and respond appropriately in a variety of situations for a variety of purposes

C5. First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Voices in Contemporary Literature

identify various contributions of individuals, organizations, and initiatives, including technological initiatives, to the development of contemporary First Nations, Métis, and Inuit literature, and analyze the social and cultural influence of those contributions

Susan Stein – April 1

On April 1st, 2025, Susan Stein performs the one women play “Etty” which is an adaptation of the journals of Etty Hillesum, a young Dutch Jewish woman writing during the Second World War in Nazi occupied Amsterdam and later from Westerbork concentration camp. For our NBE3U class Susan will be giving a presentation and workshop on either “Songs of Resistance” or “Standing up to Power”. Both connect well to themes explored in our novel There There by showing resistance through music, art, warfare, and occupation / protest. 

Curriculum Connections:

A1. Exploring

explore themes related to First Nations, Métis, and Inuit identities, relationships, and self-determination, sovereignty, or self-governance, as reflected in text forms created in Canada, formulating questions and comparing perspectives to stimulate a well-reasoned exchange of ideas about these topics

C2. Understanding Form and Style

identify a variety of text forms, text features, and stylistic elements in texts from First Nations, Métis, and Inuit cultures, and, as appropriate, relevant texts from non-Indigenous sources, and demonstrate an understanding of how they help communicate meaning

C5. First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Voices in Contemporary Literature

identify various contributions of individuals, organizations, and initiatives, including technological initiatives, to the development of contemporary First Nations, Métis, and Inuit literature, and analyze the social and cultural influence of those contributions

There is an opportunity for the wider Huntsville community to see the full length play on Sunday, March 30 at 3:00 p.m. at All Saints Anglican Church (suggested donation of $20 at the door) should you wish to take advantage of this amazing opportunity yourself.

To be clear, if this was in a social studies or history course, I wouldn’t have a problem with it whatsoever. I would say these topics 100 per cent belongs in one of those courses.

But, this shouldn’t be in an English study program. This does nothing to increase our children’s knowledge of reading, writing, grammar and story telling within the English language.

It’s why anyone who is able to financially puts their children in private schools and academies.

I know lots of teachers and I know many of them agree with me on these types of instances.

Am I right to question the curriculum of an English program not focusing on English? Or am I just being too much of a Gen Xer?

Let me know in the comments.