A Massachusetts teacher is on leave after being reported to administrators for conducting “an impromptu mock slave auction” during a history lesson and for using a slur in a fifth-grade classroom a few months later. Both incidents were reported by Southborough parents to the district on April 24, according to a letter sent by Superintendent Gregory Martineau. According to that letter, the first incident occurred during a January lesson on the history of the triangular trade at Margaret Neary Primary School. “During the lesson, the educator conducted an impromptu mock slave auction,” Martineau wrote. “The educator asked two children sitting in the front of the room, who were black, to stand up, and the educator and the class discussed physical attributes (i.e., teeth and strength).” In his letter, Martineau described the mock slave auction as “unacceptable.” “Simulations or role-playing when teaching about atrocities or historical trauma are not appropriate, and these teaching methods should not be used,” he wrote. The second incident occurred in April when the teacher was reading a book to students. Martineau said the book was recommended by one of the teacher’s colleagues but was not part of the regular fifth-grade curriculum. “When reading and discussing the text, the educator used the ‘N-word.’ The District was later informed that the ‘N-word’ does not appear in the book,” Martineau wrote. According to the letter, parents of students in the class were invited to a meeting about the incidents with the teacher and school principal, but “the next day, the educator inappropriately called out the student who had reported the use of the racial slur by the educator”. After that incident, Martineau said the district opened a formal investigation and placed the teacher on paid administrative leave. The school’s principal was also placed on temporary leave for 10 days in May. “I apologize for the events that took place at Southborough Public Schools,” Martineau wrote. “I recognize that there were missteps in this process that further complicated the situation.” The superintendent’s letter concluded with a commitment to continue “improving our cultural competency” through a series of measures, including staff training, strengthening internal reporting policies, and direct work. with the families of the affected students. This is the second time this year that a mock slave auction has been linked to a Massachusetts school. Six Southwick Regional School classmates were charged in March for their alleged role in racist bullying that allegedly included threats and a mock auction that unfolded on Snapchat.
SOUTHBOROUGH, Mass. —
A Massachusetts teacher is on leave after being reported to administrators for conducting “an impromptu mock slave auction” during a history lesson and for using a slur in a fifth-grade classroom a few months later.
Both incidents were reported by Southborough parents to the district on April 24, according to a letter sent by Superintendent Gregory Martineau.
According to that letter, the first incident occurred during a January lesson on the history of the triangular trade at Margaret Neary Primary School.
“During the lesson, the educator conducted an impromptu mock slave auction,” Martineau wrote. “The educator asked two children sitting in the front of the room, who were black, to stand up, and the educator and the class discussed physical attributes (i.e., teeth and strength).”
In his letter, Martineau described the mock slave auction as “unacceptable.”
“Simulations or role-playing when teaching about atrocities or historical trauma are not appropriate, and these teaching methods should not be used,” he wrote.
The second incident occurred in April when the teacher was reading a book to students. Martineau said the book was recommended by one of the teacher’s colleagues but was not part of the regular fifth-grade curriculum.
“When reading and discussing the text, the educator used the ‘N-word.’ The District was later informed that the ‘N-word’ does not appear in the book,” Martineau wrote.
According to the letter, parents of students in the class were invited to a meeting about the incidents with the teacher and school principal, but “the next day, the educator inappropriately called out the student who had reported the use of the racial slur by the educator”.
After that incident, Martineau said the district opened a formal investigation and placed the teacher on paid administrative leave. The school’s principal was also placed on temporary leave for 10 days in May.
“I apologize for the events that took place at Southborough Public Schools,” Martineau wrote. “I recognize that there were errors in this process that further complicated the situation.”
The superintendent’s letter concluded with a commitment to continue “improving our cultural competency” through a number of measures, including staff training, strengthening internal reporting policies, and working directly with students’ families. affected.
This is the second time this year that a mock slave auction has been linked to a Massachusetts school. Six Southwick Regional School classmates were charged in March for their alleged role in racist bullying that allegedly included threats and a mock auction that unfolded on Snapchat.
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