Bill Cosby Stars in Brooklyn High School Teacher鈥檚 Panned Comedy Lesson
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Get essential education news and commentary delivered straight to your inbox.聽Sign up here for 蜜桃影视鈥檚 daily newsletter.聽This story was May 5 by THE CITY.
On May 3, Brooklyn Technical High School offered a 鈥渟ocial and emotional learning day,鈥� an opportunity for students and teachers alike to share offbeat lessons.
One chemistry teacher offered a 鈥渃lassic comedy鈥� Zoom class.
The focus? Bill Cosby.
Some parents of teens who signed up for the 45-minute remote session offered by at the top selective public high school were furious after they found out about the lesson hours later.
Cosby is 鈥渁 convicted sex offender,鈥� one parent wrote on the Brooklyn Tech Parents Facebook group. 鈥淢y son says that was not mentioned at all. Head exploding.鈥�
鈥榃hat Were You Thinking?鈥�
Janessa Wilson, whose daughter attends the Fort Greene school but did not sign up for the elective class, was so upset she alerted the assistant principal for Parent and Student Engagement.
鈥淚 am the parent of an outgoing senior, and am beyond appalled at your idea of 鈥榮ocial and emotional learning,鈥欌�� Wilson emailed on May 3.
鈥淲hat were you thinking?鈥� she asked. 鈥淲hat precisely will be done to rectify this stunning abdication of any moral responsibility on the administration鈥檚 part?鈥�
Nottingham dismissed her questions and suggested that she reach out directly to Harkavy.
鈥淚鈥檓 sorry but to whom are you speaking?鈥� Nottingham responded, according to emails obtained by THE CITY. 鈥淚 do not speak to anyone this way nor do I accept it from anyone.鈥�
She added: 鈥淔eel free to ask clarifying questions when ready or ask the teacher that chose the session.鈥�
On May 5, Katie O鈥橦anlon, a Department of Education spokesperson, told THE CITY the lesson 鈥� titled 鈥淐lassic Comedy: Bill Cosby鈥� 鈥� was a 鈥渃lear lapse of judgement鈥� and 鈥渟hould never have been offered.鈥�
She noted the class, extolling the comedy of a once-beloved entertainer now serving a three- to 10-year sentence on conviction of sexually assaulting a woman in his home, was an optional virtual session.
The principal will meet with Harkavy and this incident will be recorded in the teacher鈥檚 file, she added.
Harkavy, who has taught at the school for 18 years, defended the class, noting it was voluntary. He said he hasn鈥檛 heard from any supervisor.
鈥淚 did mention at the beginning of the session that he鈥檚 a reprehensible man but his work was funny and clean,鈥� Harkavy said, adding 34 students signed up for the class.
鈥淭he man may be foul but his comedy is not,鈥� he said.
Art and Artist
The social and emotional learning day is normally a way for teachers to highlight usually lighter, non-academic subjects.
Another Brooklyn Tech teacher held a Zoom session on the show 鈥淭he Office鈥� during which kids watched 鈥渁ppropriate鈥� scenes to 鈥渓ighten up our day,鈥� according to the curriculum posted for students.
As for the Cosby class, one academic noted it can be difficult to separate the art 鈥� in this case comedy 鈥� from the artist.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 think there鈥檚 an answer,鈥� said Erica Chito Childs, chair and professor of sociology at Hunter College.
鈥淭here鈥檚 always going to be a debate about that,鈥� she added. 鈥淐an we appreciate someone鈥檚 art?鈥�
In the case of Cosby, it鈥檚 important to think about how angry his sexual assault victims would feel about the class, she said.
In April 2018, Cosby was convicted by a jury of drugging and sexually assaulting a woman who came to his home. The 83-year-old creator of the Brooklyn-set 鈥淐osby Show鈥� has been accused of sexual misconduct by dozens of women.
One education academic saw an opportunity for a 鈥渢eachable moment.鈥�
鈥淲hen we look back at any art, it now becomes fraught,鈥� said David Bloomfield, a professor of education leadership, law and policy at Brooklyn College and the CUNY Graduate Center.
鈥淲e ask all the time now: Can we look at art without it being tainted by the artist鈥檚 personal life?鈥�
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