Parents: Online learning program has racist, sexist content

Oct 05, 20200

Charles Timtim – Associated Press count

This photo provided by Charles Timtim shows his daughter, name withheld by parents, doing schoolwork from home in Waipahu, Hawaii, Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2020. Timtim's mother doesn't think it's safe for her daughter to be back at school but she also doesn't want her exposed to an online learning program called Acellus that misspelled and mispronounced the last queen to rule the Hawaiian kingdom. Parents spotting questionable content on Acellus is forcing some school districts across the country to reconsider the program or stop using it.

HONOLULU - Zan Timtim doesn't think it's safe for her eighth-grade daughter to return to school in person during the coronavirus pandemic but also doesn't want her exposed to a remote learning program that misspelled and mispronounced the name of Queen Liliʻuokalani, the last monarch to rule the Hawaiian Kingdom.

Timtim's daughter is Native Hawaiian and speaks Hawaiian fluently, "so to see that inaccuracy with the Hawaiian history side was really upsetting," she said.

Even before the school year started, Timtim said she heard from other parents about racist, sexist and other concerning content on Acellus, an online program some students use to learn from home.

https://www.startribune.com/parents-online-learning-program-has-racist-sexist-content/572630781/