Texas school's "chivalry" assignment told girls to dress to please men
A "chivalry" assignment given to students at Shallowater High School in Texas instructed girls to "dress in a feminine manner" to please men, "walk behind men daintily as if their feet were bound," and "not complain or whine."
The assignment was shared in a private Facebook group, according to CBS affiliate KLBK/EverythingLubbock.com. A photo of the assignment was also tweeted by local journalist Brandi D. Addison, an Allen and Frisco city writer for the Dallas Morning News.
Here’s a really ... interesting ... assignment on chivalry from @shallowaterisd. They are requiring the female students to lower their heads and curtsy for men; clean up after men; cook for and bring a drink to the men’s class. This goes on for the entire day ... even at home. pic.twitter.com/i81Zr2iAva
— Brandi D. Addison Davis 🗞 (@BrandiDAddison) March 3, 2021
The assignment asked girls to "demonstrate to the school how the code of chivalry and standards set in the medieval concept of courtly love carries over into the modern day." A set of "rules" was listed, with a line for an "adult witness signature" next to each.
The assignment said "all ladies deemed worthy of the honor by the gentlemen" would get 10 points for every witness signature.
The list states, "Ladies must address all men respectfully by title, with a lowered head and curtsy," and "Ladies must never criticize a male." It also says "ladies" must not initiate conversations with males, or "show intellectual superiority" outside the classroom "if it would offend the men around them." It also says they must cook for the "gentlemen in their class" and should clean up after the men.
"Ladies must obey any reasonable request of a male. If not sure if it is considered reasonable, ladies can check with their teachers," one of the rules reads.
Someone in the private Facebook group where the assignment was shared said there was also an assignment for boys, instructing them to "have manners towards the ladies and treat them politely in some situations," according to EverythingLubbock.com.
In a statement to CBS News, the public relations director for Shallowater High School said: "This assignment has been reviewed, and despite its historical context, it does not reflect our district and community values. The matter has been addressed with the teacher, and the assignment was removed."
Parents in the private Facebook group said the assignment was replaced after complaints, EverythingLubbock.com reports, but it had already received widespread attention on Twitter, with many criticizing the assignment.