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  Case: Cannot Cooperate
Aisha is known as a responsible and smart student. I have known her for the last two years, but this year is the first time she is taking one of my classes. She is in my 10th grade US History class. Recently, I started using small group projects in my class. I simply want my students to learn to cooperate, exchange ideas, and produce the project together. Although Aisha is willing to take part in these small group projects, she does not want to be in groups with male students because of her religious beliefs. When she told me about this, I told her that she was in the United States and that she had to work with whoever she is in a group with. In the first group project, Aisha was in a group with three males and one female students. She simply did not participate in any of the group activities. I wonder if should reconsider my original position on this issue and accommodate Aisha by having her work only with girls. Would I be doing her a disservice? What should I do?
Solution: (Rates are posted for this solution!)
Aisha isn't trying to get out of work or not complete assignments; she is simply uncomfortable with compromising her religious beliefs. I have had a student in the past, in kindergarten, who didn't want to work with girls because they are "gross". In that situation, I privately talked with him about how his comments would make the girl in his group feel bullied and sad and that he needed to always be kind and work with others. In the situation with Aisha, this was not the case. She was willing to work, but felt she was betraying her religious practices. She should be allowed to participate in a group that she feels comfortable in. Forcing her to remain in the group with males is not allowing you to see what she knows, but rather hindering her performance in the classroom. If she believes strongly in her religion then she will continue these behaviors in the future, so you would not be doing her a disservice.