This has been going on for some time.

[badrose]

My oldest daughter told me about a problem proposed to one class she was in: A man has two sons and they're in a boat. Both sons fall into the water. Which son should the father save? The answer: The youngest because he presumably had the longest to live. This was over eleven years ago.


http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2013/10/10/death-panels-101-chilling-high-school-assignment-makes-students-decide-who-lives-and-who-dies/

[Doc]

The closest, then you go after the other one...

[Darrell KSR]

Most of these assignments are legitimate, like the one linked above.

The assignment is part of a Social Science class. A popular misconception is that it is trying to show a "right" or "wrong" answer; but it is not designed for a "right" or "wrong" answer at all. Instead, it is designed to show how society influences biases based upon professions, race, gender, national origin, etc.

Stimulating the mind to think logically, when emotion and influences play such a large part, is an integral part of education.

I'll probably be in the minority here, but I am in favor of these type of scenarios to cause students to think, rather than memorize as too many teachers attempt to do while "teaching." Teach them how to think; don't just see how well they can memorize things. (Note--"don't JUST" means, in my view, memorization is ALSO an important part of education. It just shouldn't be the only part.)