HOUSTON: A school in Houston is under some serious glare after pictures of sexist quote printed on the school wall was brought to light via social media.
In stark black lettering above a row of lockers, the quote may have seemed to be an inspirational quote but was criticised as misogynistic.
“The more you act like a lady, the more he’ll act like a gentleman”
Houston-based Twitter user Lisa Beckman posted a photo of the galling quote to her personal account. Her post lambasted Houston Independent School District’s Gregory-Lincoln Education Center, which teaches pre-K through eighth grade, for peddling the harmful idea that women and girls can be blamed for the actions of men and boys, and it received a lot of attention.
This is the wall at Gregory-Lincoln Middle School in Houston ISD.
It’s perpetuating horrible gender stereotypes, shaming women, and relinquishing boys of all responsibility. It’s sexist, mysogonistic, and discriminatory!I’m horrified. @shannonrwatts #MeToo #HISD pic.twitter.com/UqjaDlI0ys
— lbeckman (@lbeckman) August 17, 2018
“It’s perpetuating horrible gender stereotypes, shaming women, and relinquishing boys of all responsibility,” Beckman wrote. “It’s sexist, misogynistic, and discriminatory!”
“I’m horrified,” she concluded.
Here. Fixed it for you. pic.twitter.com/QvACYGoGrv
— lil’tweeter (@TweetsABitNow) August 17, 2018
“The quote does not align with HISD values, and it will be taken down,” the school said in a statement provided to Houston Public Media. The phrase was removed Friday, according to the Houston Chronicle.
“The input of our community is invaluable, and we appreciate that this was brought to our attention,” the statement said.
An HISD teacher who wished to remain anonymous told KHOU11 that she was uncomfortable with the quote’s place in the school, to begin with.
“To me, it meant that girls need to take responsibility, not only for their own actions but for whatever the boys do to us, as well,” the teacher said. “I just didn’t feel like that was an image of the equality and self-determination that, we as a district or myself as a mother, want to portray.”