HENRICO COUNTY, Va. -- Patricia Galvan helps her son, a seventh grade student at Harry F. Byrd Middle School in Henrico County, each night with his homework. But recently, Galvan said she was shocked by one question on her son's science worksheet. The worksheet used a Punnett square to discuss genetics and asked students to explain an "inappropriate situation."
"One of Opal's children is born with shocking red hair. Is Orville the father of this child? But wait, Opal swear she has been faithful and claims that the hospital goofed and got her baby mixed with another. Is this a plausible explanation?"
"I was appalled, I was very bothered by it," she said. Galvan, "I'm now having to explain to my child about being unfaithful, why do I have to explain that to my 12-year-old?"
Galvan said she was also disappointed in her son's Social Studies assignment. She said the teacher asked them to research a character from the 1920s and then speed date with other class members. She said they were also asked to make a fake Match.com profile.
"To even research what is Match.com, that opens up a whole other thing," she said.
Galvan said she did complain to the teacher, but she said the teacher told her it was a History Match.com, but Galvan said it was still presented as Match.com.
CBS 6 reached out to Henrico County Public Schools about Galvan's concerns.
Henrico Schools spokesman Andy Jenks provided this statement:
Once the parent shared her concerns with school administrators, it was agreed that some of the wording was not appropriate for the classroom. We are thankful that the parent brought the issue to our attention, and we will be working to provide additional reminders that ensure all instructional materials are age-appropriate.
