An elementary school teacher in Massachusetts has been placed on paid leave for using a racial term and compelling her children to participate in a simulated auction of enslaved individuals. The fifth-grade teacher at Margaret A Neary Elementary School in Southborough, Massachusetts, conducted an unplanned simulation of a slave auction as part of a lesson on the historical transatlantic slave trade.
The teacher requested two children of different racial backgrounds to stand in front of the room and engaged in a discussion about their physical characteristics. In April, the instructor uttered a racial slur while reading a book aloud to the pupils, which was not officially included in the fifth-grade curriculum.
The superintendent has instructed staff and students to refrain from using dehumanizing language, including slurs, as it can be detrimental to students and negatively influence open discourse regarding a specific subject. The teacher responded to the student who reported the use of the racist term by publicly reprimanding the student in an unjust manner, which Mr. Martineau deemed "unacceptable."
The educator is currently under investigation while still receiving their regular salary. The superintendent expressed regret for the incidents and stated that the school system will be developing a professional development plan centered around culturally sensitive pedagogy.
The teacher requested two children of different racial backgrounds to stand in front of the room and engaged in a discussion about their physical characteristics. In April, the instructor uttered a racial slur while reading a book aloud to the pupils, which was not officially included in the fifth-grade curriculum.
The superintendent has instructed staff and students to refrain from using dehumanizing language, including slurs, as it can be detrimental to students and negatively influence open discourse regarding a specific subject. The teacher responded to the student who reported the use of the racist term by publicly reprimanding the student in an unjust manner, which Mr. Martineau deemed "unacceptable."
The educator is currently under investigation while still receiving their regular salary. The superintendent expressed regret for the incidents and stated that the school system will be developing a professional development plan centered around culturally sensitive pedagogy.
