This petition has been created in an attempt to reinstate the Civil War simulation into the Social Studies curriculum. The simulation was how the 8th grade learned about the Civil War. Each class would be divided into North and South "teams" with generals and regiments. Both teams would compete for points while learning about events in the war, and extra points can be obtained creatively by sharing extra research or other relevant information with the class (ex. playing or singing a song related to the war). At the end of the unit, "Northerners" wear blue and "Southerners" wear red to play a game of capture the flag.

A few parent complaints has brought the unfortunate end to this tradition at our school for around twenty years. We are all disappointed and upset, as many of us have looked forward to this simulation for a long time. It was supposed to be the highlight of our last year at Maywood, signifying the end of middle school. However, due to the cancellation, teachers are now being required to teach directly from the textbook, which covers one of the most important wars in American history in only nine pages. We are no longer learning leadership and teamwork skills that will be important for our success in the future as adults. The Civil War simulation was a creative way to make learning interactive, engaging, and interesting for all of us. We ask that you help us bring it back!