School Homework Math Assignment Refers to Slavery & Beatings

01/06/2012

Several Gwinnett parents contacted Channel 2 Action News in outrage after their children brought home a math assignment that referenced slavery and beatings.

Christopher Braxton talked with Channel 2's Kerry Kavanaugh and said he couldn't believe it when he read his 8-year-old son's math homework Wednesday.

"It kind of blew me away," Braxton said. "Do you see what I see? Do you really see what I see? He's not answering this question."

The question was a word problem that said, "Each tree had 56 oranges. If eight slaves pick them equally, then how much would each slave pick?"

Another math problem said, "If Frederick got two beatings per day, how many beatings did he get in one week?"

"I was furious at that point in time," Braxton said.

"Something like shouldn't be imbedded into a kid of the third, fourth, fifth, any grade," parent Terrance Barnett said. "I'm having to explain to my 8-year-old why slavery or slaves or beatings are in a math problem. That hurts."

Both fathers said they contacted the principal of Beaver Ridge Elementary school in Norcross. They wanted to know what the third-grade math teachers were thinking.

Kavanaugh brought that question to Gwinnett County School District officials.

"In this one, the teachers were trying to do a cross-curricular activity," district spokeswoman Sloan Roach said.

Roach explained the teachers were trying to incorporate social studies lessons into the math problems, which is something the school district encourages. But the problem with the questions is there is no historical context.

"We understand that there are concerns about these questions and we agree that these questions were not appropriate," Roach said.

"Whoever put together this paperwork and everything else, the schools and everything else, shouldn't teach it this way," said Braxton.

The parents were told the school vice principal had collected the assignment to shred them so that they didn't resurface.

Roach said there is a process in place to review questions before they are handed out to students, which didn't happen here.

Roach said the administration will work with teachers on how to develop better questions that are "meaningful and appropriate."

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[jonthefire]

First of all only cowards remove peoples comments. now to the point slavery is part of world history and American history right or wrong it is what is is if you don't want your children to learn it don't send them to public school. the problem with math is that it is not taught as an integral part of education the way plublic schools devide every thing in to compartments is not realistic all aspects of education should flow smothly togeather.

[LeakSourceArchive]

@jonthefire

I never have and never will remove any comments. I disagree with censorship of any kind.

[DimmedDiamond]

Who the hell wrote those questions? "If Hitler burned 122 Poles on the first hour, and burned twice as many Poles every hour, how many Poles would he burn on the 5th hour?"

[BloodiedUp13]

uhhh, guys? i know this is the internet and ignorance & racism are so much more fun when your comments are anonymous, but the issue here isn't that the "black people got upset". slavery and beatings are definitely a part of our (and many other "civilized" countries') history. but that doesn't mean they shouldn't be handled in a more appropriate manner. making a child count up how many beatings a slave gets is in very poor taste. the subject should be handled far more delicately at that age.

[RedZHunter]

If the Spanish killed 7 million natives and the Yanks 10, then why the fuck is this acceptable

[TheMylesnt94]

Wow....wow

[cyberskulls]

IT IS A MATH EQUATION NO MATTER WHAT WORDS ARE USE.THESE PEOPLE THAT WASTE EVERYONES TIME ON THIS IS IGNORANT.WHY DONT YOU USE THIS ENERGY ON THE REAL PROBLEMS IN THE BLACK COMMUNITY.BLACK ON BLACK CRIME,CRACK COCAINE AND OTHER ISSUES. OUR TROOPS DYING IN MID EAST FOR BIG OIL AND RICH PEOPLE IN WORLD.IM TIRED OF THE BLACKS ALWAYS SAY ITS ALL WHITE PEOPLES FAULT.SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO TAKE BLAME FOR YOUR OUR ACTIONS.IM NOT SAYING THERE ISN'T RACISIM IN TODAYS WORLD.BUT THIS TOO FAR.

[cyberskulls]

@jonthefire

[CultureMisfits]

THIS IS HILARIOUS



[ilikelamp101]

Wow just wow

[theterrymeister]

@MrBlackPalm oh my goodness. who the F**K cares who makes the damn test. as long as they aren't bullshit like the ones in this video. good grief >.>

[theterrymeister]

lol seems like they seemed to merge all the negative history with math. tell me wth third graders know about slavery and paying fines?

[ThiXtreme1]

I think they should calculate how many beatings the teacher who wrote those questions will get :P

[goldielocksplanet]

We should never allow the public school system to be soley responsible for teaching our children.I don't blame the school system when it's controlled by a system which at one point did not allow children to attend certain (intergrated)schools!I understand how difficult it is for parents but if you can't afford to home school or private ,perhaps it's time for other alternatives.I am curious to know what material they may have received unnoticed?

Parents shouldteachand about more than slavery.