Trump Quiz Questions Anger Plainfield Parent

PLAINFIELD, IL -- A vocabulary quiz given to eighth-graders at a Plainfield School District middle school is drawing fire from some parents who believe it's an attempt at anti-Trump indoctrination.

On Wednesday, mom Rebecca Gomez posted a Facebook photo of a quiz given to her daughter by a Timber Ridge Middle School teacher.

"This is (unacceptable) to put her views into our children's head (no) matter what her side is," she wrote. "I am one unhappy parent!"

District 202 Director of Community Relations Tom Hernandez confirmed that the quiz was created by a Timber Ridge teacher and administered to students.

"We are aware of the quiz," Hernandez said in an email to Patch on Friday morning. "We are conducting an inquiry and review of the matter and if warranted, will take appropriate disciplinary action." Hernandez said he could not comment further on the issue since it's a personnel matter.

A section of the fill-in-the-blank quiz asked students to choose from vocabulary words to complete a series of statements:

• There is great (blank) among Americans, especially those who are strong supporter (sic) of President Trump and those who are against him
• The President of the United States (blank) accused the media of covering up terrorist attacks in European countries.
• I have (blank) to seek out non-biased news so that I am a well-educated and informed citizen.
• It was difficult for me to (blank) my feeling when I learned that Donald J. Trump had been voted in as our 45th President.
• After reading about President Trump's immigration ban, I did not realize how (blank) the law can be.

Gomez said the quiz was given to students about a month ago and her daughter received it back on Wednesday.

"I was just mortified," Gomez said. "I was shocked when I actually saw the questions -- I couldn't believe that a teacher would write those questions."

Gomez said she met Friday with Director of Administration and Personnel Jennifer Orlos and Timber Ridge Principal Dean Kariotakis and was told administrators have already spoken with the teacher about the quiz.

"We're not looking to get her fired or anything," Gomez said, adding, "I wanted to get this out there because this kind of stuff is not appropriate for school."

She said she hopes the incident will lead to a firm policy against discussing political views in the classroom.

"It's all in the media, we don't need this in the classroom," she said.

According to Hernandez, a longstanding District 202 practice has "discouraged from sharing their personal political views."

Gomez' Facebook post drew attention from conservative sites including Will County Board member Steve Balich's Will County News, Illinois Review and SarahPalin.com.

Several people responded to Gomez' Facebook post, which was made public to allow it to be shared widely.

"That is so wrong on many levels," another parent wrote. "As a person with a job of authority over kids, her political views should not be used in a way that your child is tested."

Another called it "the indoctrination of our youth by liberal academia," while one asked, "Imagine how much trouble a teacher would get into if they shared their conservative beliefs in such a manner."

Photo via Facebook