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Social Studies Lesson (Brought to You By the Same People Who Think “the Average Child” Can Complete 16 Pages of Homework in 45 Minutes)

I apologize for being so very Fall Out Boy.

Dear Gaz’s Teacher:

Although Gaz worked diligently homework for approximately 2 hours, she was only able to complete 15 of the 16 assigned pages.

Gaz was unable to complete the rest of her homework because of this map.

Gaz had inquired as to what is “U.S.S.R. and why is it is where Russia should be on the map?” While impressed that my child actually knew where Russia was on a world map, I was less than pleased after viewing the above map on her assignment sheet.

This led to a History lesson about the Union of Soviet Social Republics, which consisted of Russia and a bunch of other countries like Lithuania, Georgia and others with names containing syllable “bek” and “akh” and was also known as the Soviet Union, which ceased to exist officially in 1991.

This led to a discussion of the fall of communism, including President Reagan’s “Tear down this wall” speech and how, in 1989, when his dad was stationed in Germany, her Uncle Brian was actually there in the crowd (on the West Berlin side) when the protesters with sledgehammers climbed up on the Berlin Wall and started tearing it down.

By the time I answered all her questions, with the exception of one — “Okay, if this Soviet Union doesn’t exist anymore, why is it on my map and why do I need to know that it is located in the Northern Eastern hemisphere?” — it was after 10:00 p.m.

The incomplete Science worksheet will be completed this evening and will be turned in tomorrow.

Sincerely,

Gaz’s Mom

Can someone explain to me why my child’s Social Studies assignment contains a map that has been out of date for approximately SIXTEEN YEARS?!?!

Maybe Miss Teen South Carolina has a point.