Parents of students at a Texas public high school were outraged after discovering a teacher reportedly instructed students to watch a video of George Floyd’s death and the Derek Chauvin trial, numerous sources reported.
Parents with children enrolled in Cedar Hill High School wrote a letter to the teacher who created the unapproved class assignment, which instructed students not to discuss what they watched of the trial with family for six weeks, WFAA reported Friday.
Cedar Hill Independent School District is located in Cedar Hill, roughly 30 miles southeast from Fort Worth.
Parents said a teacher allowed children to watch Derek Chauvin’s trial and video of George Floyd’s death without parental consent.
https://t.co/VNwof3JDzJ— WFAA (@wfaa) April 3, 2021
“It is unfathomable to me that you felt it appropriate to force my child to watch George Floyd’s murder on television in your classroom, and then move on with his day as if nothing had happened,” the letter stated, according to WFAA.
The teacher reportedly asked students to serve as mock jurors after watching the trial of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, who is facing charges of second-degree murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter.
Parents said there was no attempt at gaining parental consent before the assignment, according to WFAA. It wasn’t until after parents began complaining about the assignment that the teacher allegedly provided a description of the assignment.
“They may not text discuss what they hear with friends, siblings, or relatives – not even the family dog,” the memo said, according to WFAA.
Parents complained that the assignment was not appropriate for students due to the traumatizing nature of the video showing Chauvin pinning Floyd to the ground.
“This murder seen by millions around the globe was triggering and traumatizing for adults,” the letter from the parents reportedly said. “Yet, you left students to handle their own emotions and mental health as they left your class, without proper and professional support.”
The school’s principal, Jason Miller, issued a statement saying that “viewing and discussing” the case was not age-appropriate for students, according to WFAA.
The school district affirmed that the assignment was not approved by school officials. “The matter has been addressed with the teacher, and the assignment was removed,” WFAA reported.
Friday was the fifth day of the high-profile trial over Floyd’s death. The prosecution attempted to prove that Chauvin kneeling on Floyd’s neck was a direct cause of his death, while the defense argued that Floyd died of a heart attack or overdose. (RELATED: Senior Officer During Chauvin Trial: Use Of ‘Deadly Force’ On George Floyd Was ‘Totally Unnecessary’)