A school in Lubbock,Texas, held a “Rules of Chivalry Day” to compare and contrast how men and women court or date in Medieval compared to modern times, but a report in the Dallas Morning News about the assignment slammed it for telling girls to be subservient and feminine to please the boys.
The document, which only included instructions for the “ladies” and not for the “men,” said:
- Ladies must dress in a feminine manner to please the men (must be within school dress code)
- Ladies must address all men respectively by title, with a lowered head
- Ladies must not complain or whine
- Ladies must never criticize a male
- Ladies must not initiate conversation with males (with the exception of male teachers)
- Ladies must walk behind men or walk daintily as if their feet were bound
- Outside of the classroom ladies cannot show intellectual superiority if it would offend the men around them
- Ladies must obey any reasonable demand of a male (If not sure if it is reasonable ladies can check with their teachers)
The assignment also said the ladies should provide the men in the classroom with refreshments.
The instructions, titled “Here Ye, Here Ye Ladies,” said:
The class will 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. The ladies in the class will follow the Rules of Chivalry Day. All ladies deemed worth of the honor by the gentlemen receive 10 points for every signature at the end of the day.
The New York Post reported on the criticism that led to the lesson being nixed:
Male students were also reportedly given advisories — including referring to girls as “milady” and showing “courtly courtesy as they assist ladies who may have dropped an article by picking it up for them,” according to a subsequent tweet.
Boys were also told not to use vulgarity or complain and to rise when females entered or exited a room.
Twitter reactions varied — with some speculating that the assignments were supposed to demonstrate regressive gender roles of the period. But most respondents found the material unacceptable no matter the intent. The school eventually canceled the concept outright.
“This assignment has been reviewed, and despite its historical context, it does not reflect our district and community values,” Dr. Anita Herbert, superintendent of the local district told Fox News. “The matter has been addressed with the teacher, and the assignment was removed.”
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