Welcome to Parents at Work! This is a bowl and community for you to share your experiences as a working parent, particularly during the back-to-school season. Receive and give advice, vent, share, and connect with a diverse community of working professionals in the same boat, with kids! Live professional advice on mental health and personal finance will be available in two text-based Q&A events.
There is no reason to do this. I read about it over the weekend. Some people should not be in the classroom.
My thought? "Holy Shit, it's 2024. I can't believe any teacher in America thinks any kind of slavery 'simulation' is a good idea in the classroom. " What did the teacher think was going to happen?
I saw the headline and wondered if it was actually a sub or someone being fast tracked into teaching without the training due to teacher shortage. That doesn't seem to be the case
The teacher had previously read a book aloud and used a racial slur. The racial slur wasn't even in the book. The principal met with the teacher and the parents of a student that complained. The next day the teacher retaliated against the student that complained. Then the the teacher later held a slave auction and told two students if color to come forward and made a running commentary of their teeth, strength and physical attributes like a slave auctioneer. This teacher's behavior was psychologically harmful to the students of color and gave the non POC students the impression that BIPOC students are inferior or they could be abused next if they spoke out. The NYTimes article has a pay wall . Here is the full story: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2024/06/02/massachusetts-teacher-mock-slave-auction-slur/73949487007
Unfortunately some people privately despise the students they teach or have hateful views that spill into the classroom. Just like students eventually forget when a camera is recording some teachers forget that what they do in the classroom isn't private. I've seen hateful intolerance vomited out by teachers on fishbowl. And lot of anti-LBTQ teachers on fishbowl. I'm sure their views spilled out in the classroom if not overtly then through micro aggressions.
I can't agree with you more, CES1- kids are pretty savvy in terms of instinctually knowing what teacher/s they can talk to openly and safely and what teachers they need to stay away from. Also, when I say 'safely', it doesn't mean that a student is going to reveal that they are in the middle of a sex change in 3rd grade, but it might just mean that for the first time that 3rd grader verbalizes their biggest fear...they are dumb, etc. This is actually a huge thing for kids and once they ask for help in terms of academics, they are telling me that they are invested and want to learn. Don't forget that kids fear being judged in all situations of vulnerability. I too have witnessed (firsthand this year) two teachers who openly screamed and threatened their students. I always walk away, after intervening in these specific teacher's classes and think, why do they want or need to give so much of their power away. I wonder if they've caught on to the fact that their students have little or no respect for them as their teacher?
The mock slave auction, with all its problems, is the *least* concerning part of this story to me. Read a book out loud to the kids and *added* the n-word? Who does that? After a meeting with parents and admin to address concerns, publicly targeted the children whose parents complained? Again, who does that? If this is reported correctly, something is really wrong with this person's judgment and I would not want them in a classroom. Full stop.
Both of these situations (including Traverse City schools) are sad and telling at the same time. The very behavior of this teacher, who so willingly offered to publicly humiliate two students in her class is beyond the pale. Any teacher that would go to those lengths is unfit to be in front of a classroom. Maybe if the real facts about slavery were covered in an age-appropriate/ respectful manner within the curriculum instead of denying it's existence...some of these teachers would feel less inclined to go rogue?
I wasn’t present and therefore could not comment. There is a lot misinformation coming from the press.
It's not misinformation that the teacher was on paid leave as was the principal.
I couldn't imagine this is okay in any form. There are ways to do things in the classroom to make things engaging for the students and to teach them the lessons history offers. I was immediately reminded of the idea that in a nearby district students did this a few years ago, and it was awful. https://www.traverseticker.com/news/tcaps-investigates-racist-slave-trade-student-snapchat-exchange The fact it's a teacher demonstrating similar behaviors is worse.
I am in a MA district and a similar experience happened in another district. A mock slave auction was held on line as well as other racial incidents. Several students are being charged with civil rights violations. The Super has an active petition asking her to resign as there have been several incidents over the years that have not been addressed. Students who graduated came back to speak at school committee mtgs. Google Southwick Tolland school district slave auction. THis is 2024, we need to do differently!
I'm not sure how to even comment on that one! I see both sides of the spectrum on this issue.
I'm pretty sure as a society, we collectively determined that when it comes to slavery there's only the side against it and the wrong side. Please explain what you mean, Devil's Advocate
Meh. It’s the grey lady. I’m not interested in their take on anything.
This is the Superintendent's message on Parent Square:
I rhink there’s enough racial tension going on in the schools. This stuff will only lead to contribute to more. American history can be taught through differentiated methods that will not incite or upset students or the community.