A fifth-grade teacher in Massachusetts has been placed on paid leave after a series of incidents including holding a mock slave auction, using a racial slur, and calling out the student who reported the slur, a school official said.
Officials did not name the teacher at the Margaret A. Neary Elementary School in Southborough, a town about 30 miles (48 kilometers) west of Boston.
District Superintendent Gregory Martineau told parents in a statement this week that he first learned about the incidents from parents in April.
He said the first incident — a mock slave auction — took place in January during a history lesson on the economy of the Southern colonies.
“The educator asked two children sitting in front of the room, who were of color, to stand, and the educator and class discussed physical attributes (i.e., teeth and strength),” Martineau wrote.
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In the second incident, in April, the teacher was reading aloud from a book and used a slur, which the district later discovered does not appear in the book, officials said. Martineau told parents in his statement that dehumanizing words such as slurs should not be spoken by employees or students.
If you are a teacher in any grade, i offer for free to hear your Black history ideas or slavery explanation experiments. I will tell you if you should do it or not for free. Ask away.
I wanna bang the black lunch lady.
Like, in front of the class?
I haven’t thought out all the details yet
In your private life? Go for it. In front of the school? I would say, find another place instead of at school.
Yeah but I want to teach the kids what happens if you follow your dreams.
We have many laws against that.
This country…
I wish it was only us. Other countries do it with different groups as well.
Gotta get extra scoops somehow
can i traumatize black children by publicly treating them as actual slaves in front of their class? 5th grade teacher asking thanks
They will be scarred enough by society and the judicial system, there’s no need in you adding to it.
No, this is not an original idea. It has been done and no, yours isn’t unique.
Don’t worry though, they know you are racist. No, knowing one black person doesn’t matter. You should visit a historical black museum or non-profit to get more views.
I’m not a teacher, and I’m not black, but may I suggest letting white kids understand about “The Talk?”
Well that would require parents to hold their government accountable to educating. Taxes would have to go up and spending on programs that don’t directly benefit “you” as well.
Also, social norms for your times will be questioned. It will be uncomfortable but open dialogue will make it easier. This will also lead into uncovering some horrible things in our past or communities. You’re not responsible, hopefully? Lol But it will help understand how some people are oppressed and our system may need to be reviewed. That will include looking at our judicial system. No one wants to get rid of it but instead make it work for everyone, the same way.
Once we understand all this, then other groups of people may underatand why POC fear interacting with sociaty.
Also, we are teachers not sub-parents. We need to work together to guide young people in a better future for everyone.
I was thinking just letting them know about it in general, not telling it to them. I’m just remember when a black friend of mine told me about that and it really blew my young mind. No one had made it clear to me that Officer Friendly wasn’t Officer Friendly to him or why that was.
Me, I made it clear to my daughter that the cops are no one’s friends, but being white, they’ll be more lenient on us and why that is racist and wrong.