After outcry, unusual lesson made cents

KYLE, Texas (KXAN) - A history lesson came to life for the kids at Chapa Middle School after principal Lisa Islas sent a letter to parents of social studies students requiring kids to pay five cents for each piece of paper they use, including tests.

No nickel meant an automatic zero. And other "consequences."

Predicably, the students got angry. They organized petitions, they decried the unfairness of it all. The parents were indignant, outraged. The superintendent sent an email to the principal.

Calls flooded into Islas' office Friday from angry parents that saw the letter with the unusual warning: If students did not pay the text tax, they would get a zero for each assignment. The charge included tests, readings, maps, study guides, and even the very letter they held in their hands.

Turns out, the whole thing was a creative assignment - a lesson on the idea of "no taxation without representation," a study of the Boston Tea Party, a real-life lesson on protesting unfair government mandates.

The students, of course, were never charged a cent. But there's no question that every student now knows what the Boston Tea Party was all about - no abritrary taxation, no unfair charges, no double-dipping, No Taxation Without Representation.

Islas, who endured angry calls and emails, believes ruffling a few feathers will pay off.

"I think it is worth it, because one of the things that makes it so real for them is that this involves their emotion and anytime it involves emotion, I think it makes them remember even more,” said Islas.

Students at Chapa Middle School created a petition and began a protest in response to the letter before realizing the lesson at hand.

"Look at all these students that signed it,” said Randy Klima while addressing his class on Friday.

Immediately, students in Klima’s class started talking to each other and making a protest plan.

"As soon as he gave us the papers, everyone was like 'oh this isn't cool, that’s not right,'” said Seamus Rodebaugh, a student at Chapa Middle School.

By the time parents received the letter, they too were angered to realize the lesson.

"My mom was really upset," said student, Dameron Mason. "She started texting people and stuff."

The letter from Islas threatened not only a grade of a zero on assignments that were not paid for, but also other "consequences."

"[My parents] thought this was just outrageous,” said student Patrick Tilley.

By the start of school Friday, dozens of parents were also protesting.

“I had an e-mail from my superintendent and phone calls coming through from parents who were very upset and irate because of the letter that was sent home,” said Islas.

However, it was all part of a social studies lesson.

After announcing the purpose of the letter, Klima asked the class "Why should you have to pay, you're saying it’s already paid for?"

The eighth graders are studying the birth of the United States of America.

“In the United States, do you have the opportunity to protest or discuss issues that you see that are unfair?” said Klima while addressing the class.

The lesson specifically centered on the Boston Tea Party.

One student, Rachel Hernandez, made a Native American headdress with the words “unfair taxation” written on the side. She explained to the class she did so to imitate those at the Boston Tea Party.

"They dressed up as Indians and dumped all the tea into the harbor,” said Hernandez.

The students said they now understand the lesson.

"I understand how the colonists felt whenever they got taxed by the British without representation,” said Sutton.