Unfortunately, it seems like we are hearing and reading more and more stories like these and the trend only seems to be getting worse.
Recently, a fourth-grade teacher from a Milwaukee-area elementary school thought it a good idea to ask children to provide three “good reasons” for slavery, of course, prompting outrage from both students and parents.
Mother, Trameka Brown-Berry took to Facebook posting a picture of her son’s homework assignment, asking her followers, “does anyone else find my fourth-grader’s homework offensive?” Of course, the picture went viral, gaining thousands of shares and comments.
The school where the assignment originated, Our Redeemer Lutheran Church and School, responded to their local TV station WISN, that, “we understand that, as presented, the words used showed a lack of sensitivity and were offensive. The purpose of the assignment was not, in any way, to have students argue that any slavery is acceptable — a concept that goes against our core values and beliefs about the equality and worth of people of all races.”
On his assignment, as seen in the photo, Brown-Berry’s son responded to the question, “I feel there is no good reason for slavery, that’s why I did not write.”
Brown-Berry later said in another Facebook post that she had spoken to the school principal about the assignment and made five requests: a verbal apology to her son and others in the class, a formal apology sent to parents, that the assignment be removed from current and future curriculum, that teachers communicate with parents when they’re broaching sensitive topics, and that the school’s staff be trained in cultural competency. The principal agreed to all of Brown-Berry’s proposed requests and the teacher who gave the students the assignment, apologized to the class.
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