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Shanghai School Gives Students A Dirty Joke For English HomeworkAn expensive private school in Shanghai has found itself in trouble with the relevant authorities yet again after giving students a dirty joke as a homework assignment. Over their winter break, 8th-graders at the SMIC Private School were told to give their thoughts on a story called “Mommy’s Washcloth.” Here’s how that story goes:
After being read by one bewildered parent and uploaded online, the story quickly went viral across Chinese social media, attracting the attention of the Shanghai education bureau. The bureau soon ordered SMIC to recall the homework and severely punish those responsible. It was later discovered that the story was part of a supplemental textbook published last year by the Atomic Energy Press which aimed to make English learning “fun” and “active” for kids. SMIC soon released a statement, apologizing for failing to properly check the contents of the textbook while announcing that the books had been recalled and two of its staff members punished with serious warnings and demerits. The school also declared that it would pursue legal action against the publisher. Last October, SMIC found itself engulfed in another scandal after parents discovered moldy tomatoes and expired seasonings inside the school’s cafeteria, leading to the principal getting sacked. |