So what is the correct answer to this reading comprehension worksheet question?

Where is the “None of the Above” choice? None of these answers are true. I assume that the “correct” answer is supposed to be (C).

Problem #1, the “correct” answer is a lie. The president does not create laws. This is a basic premise of the Constitution that clearly divides the federal government into a legislative, judicial and executive branch. This misinforms kids about an important division of power that our republic was founded under.

Problem #2, it implies presidents and kings are similar in ways they are not. The phrasing of the question is also problematic. Yes, it is intellectually fair to compare an American president to a king. However, looking for similarities is not the best way to draw distinctions between the two. Especially, when they require students to pick a similarity that is a complete lie. It should be a clear difference: Kings may make laws. American Presidents do not.

Problem #3, encourages confusion with “decisions” and “laws”. The worksheet portion of the lesson was not as bold and simply stated that the president makes decisions. That is very different from making laws. In order to choose (C), the student must assume that “making decisions” is no different than “making laws”.

Here is the piece that was to be read for reading comprehension which discussed the differences between a king and a president.

Scholastic Teaching Resources should pull this lesson immediately and make a public apology for teaching anti-American ideas to our students.