OT: Racist Math questions for 3rd graders in Georgia

[grayghost668]

Are you suggesting that nobody should do anything about these types of things because it's "Everywhere"?

just saying racism,will never go away,so learn to live with it and it is practiced by every race,

 

[MW49ers5]

Yeah, i didn't either. That's a terrible reason. I can't remember when they start teaching kids about slavery in school, but i don't recall it being explained until after the age of 8. They state the questions like the kids should have a full grasp on what slavery means.

The excuse gave me the impression that the teacher, or someone in the administration, is going to get away with this??...Just crazy!

 

[imac_21]

The questions can definitely been seen as inappropriate, however, I don't see racism. At no point is race mentioned in any way.

We've been conditioned to connect slavery with racism from whites directed towards blacks, but slavery existed before and after it began and ended in the USA. It still exists today, and is not always connected to race.

I wonder when you feel the appropriate age is to teach children about slavery?

I also understand that this would be a touchier subject in the American south than most places, but that applies to the questions being perceived as racist as well as when children should be taught about it.

 

[grayghost668]

The questions can definitely been seen as inappropriate, however, I don't see racism. At no point is race mentioned in any way.

We've been conditioned to connect slavery with racism from whites directed towards blacks, but slavery existed before and after it began and ended in the USA. It still exists today, and is not always connected to race.

I wonder when you feel the appropriate age is to teach children about slavery?

I also understand that this would be a touchier subject in the American south than most places, but that applies to the questions being perceived as racist as well as when children should be taught about it.

you don't see it ok,but it's there it jumps right out at me,,,,,,,but to be honest about this,it is so stupid that I find it funny especially the indignity I see on this thread,,,,DAMN THOSE WHITE PEOPLE FOR DOING THIS,,,

 

[SeeYouNT]

The questions can definitely been seen as inappropriate, however, I don't see racism. At no point is race mentioned in any way.

We've been conditioned to connect slavery with racism from whites directed towards blacks, but slavery existed before and after it began and ended in the USA. It still exists today, and is not always connected to race.

I wonder when you feel the appropriate age is to teach children about slavery?

I also understand that this would be a touchier subject in the American south than most places, but that applies to the questions being perceived as racist as well as when children should be taught about it.

RACIST!!!!!


Seriously, some people's imaginations are quite impressive...damn oversensitive and what not.

 

[bvanthielriceyoung]

It's seven oranges and fourteen beatings in case anyone was trying to figure it out.

lmao....dude you come up with some hilarious responses

 

[sayheykid1]

The questions can definitely been seen as inappropriate, however, I don't see racism. At no point is race mentioned in any way.

We've been conditioned to connect slavery with racism from whites directed towards blacks, but slavery existed before and after it began and ended in the USA. It still exists today, and is not always connected to race.

I wonder when you feel the appropriate age is to teach children about slavery?

I also understand that this would be a touchier subject in the American south than most places, but that applies to the questions being perceived as racist as well as when children should be taught about it.

A slave named Frederick picking cotton...Could have been anywhere at any point in history.

 

[imac_21]

you don't see it ok,but it's there it jumps right out at me,,,,,,,but to be honest about this,it is so stupid that I find it funny especially the indignity I see on this thread,,,,DAMN THOSE WHITE PEOPLE FOR DOING THIS,,,

Maybe I have to read the questions again, but I see no mention of race anywhere.

 

[sayheykid1]

just saying racism,will never go away,so learn to live with it and it is practiced by every race,

But you think black men are racists if they sleep with a white woman, no?

 

[mufasa76]

lol beaver ridge.

lol

 

[imac_21]

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

I have two issues with this statement.

1. Shouldn't you be explaining to your child about slavery and slaves rather than why they're discussed in a math problem?

This leads to the second. . .

2. If your child doesn't need an explanation about slavery and slaves, how did he/she learn about it? Clearly you feel 8 year olds (and 9 and 10 year olds for that matter) are too young to learn about it (I disagree, but that's beside the point), but if you don't have to explain it, presumably your child already knows about it.

 

[SeeYouNT]

It's seven oranges and fourteen beatings in case anyone was trying to figure it out.

Well, if it's a racist question, then 7 cannot be the correct answer...

 

[grayghost668]

But you think black men are racists if they sleep with a white woman, no?

the shit is everywhere,and yes they sleep with anyone the can most have no boundries and you know it as for them being racist hell there are just as many blacks that are racist as there are whites,,get off your fucking horse,I'm tired of your shit

 

[Arete Tzu]

The questions can definitely been seen as inappropriate, however, I don't see racism. At no point is race mentioned in any way.

We've been conditioned to connect slavery with racism from whites directed towards blacks, but slavery existed before and after it began and ended in the USA. It still exists today, and is not always connected to race.

I wonder when you feel the appropriate age is to teach children about slavery?

I also understand that this would be a touchier subject in the American south than most places, but that applies to the questions being perceived as racist as well as when children should be taught about it.

I believe it's naive of you to believe questions about cotton picking slaves that came out of Georgia, is talking about ancient slaves of the world. Ancient slaves of Rome aren't on the consciousness of most Georgians, their form of slavery is. My family has personally experienced high amounts of racism while visiting Georgia, we will never go back there. it's still very racist in many areas. There is places where school dances are still racially segregated. It's the same state that tried starting a white's only basketball league under the idea that Black's ruined the sport.

You say we are conditioned to see blacks as slaves in this country, so what makes you think someone in Georgia with their long history of racial problems, would be conditioned any different? The fact that YOU know slavery has roots beyond racism, doesn't mean this can be dismissed as that.

Also you ask what's the appropriate age to teach them, but do you think 3rd grade MATH is the right place to teach about slavery? are math questions about beatings and picking cotton the most appropriate way of teaching them slavery?

 

[MW49ers5]

I believe it's naive of you to believe questions about cotton picking slaves that came out of Georgia, is talking about ancient slaves of the world. Ancient slaves of Rome aren't on the consciousness of most Georgians, their form of slavery is. My family has personally experienced high amounts of racism while visiting Georgia, we will never go back there. it's still very racist in many areas. There is places where school dances are still racially segregated. It's the same state that tried starting a white's only basketball league under the idea that Black's ruined the sport.

You say we are conditioned to see blacks as slaves in this country, so what makes you think someone in Georgia with their long history of racial problems, would be conditioned any different? The fact that YOU know slavery has roots beyond racism, doesn't mean this can be dismissed as that.

Also you ask what's the appropriate age to teach them, but do you think 3rd grade MATH is the right place to teach about slavery? are math questions about beatings and picking cotton the most appropriate way of teaching them slavery?

There it is...

 

[Arete Tzu]

the shit is everywhere,and yes they sleep with anyone the can most have no boundries and you know it as for them being racist hell there are just as many blacks that are racist as there are whites,,get off your fucking horse,I'm tired of your shit

No boundaries? racially? I don't understand why I should set race boundaries when it comes to dating and sex.

I also fail to see how "every race has racists" makes being racist ok? Every group of people has pedophiles, is pedophilia ok? Every group has rapists, every group has murderers is killing ok? i don't get the logic.

 

[threelittleturds]

It might not be blatant racism, but you don't need to drop derogatory remarks just to be racist.

Obviously, it could just be an oversight by the teacher. Although, I'd find it hard to believe someone with a degree in education would innocently miss how inappropriate it is to mix that subject into mathematics. It's kind of nonchalant, like, don't worry that the slave is picking cotton and getting beat, obviously that is talking about black slaves in the U.S. Which is pretty insensitive since chances are extremely high that students in Georgia will have a lineage that traces back to being slaves.

 

[grayghost668]

No boundaries? racially? I don't understand why I should set race boundaries when it comes to dating and sex.

I also fail to see how "every race has racists" makes being racist ok? Every group of people has pedophiles, is pedophilia ok? Every group has rapists, every group has murderers is killing ok? i don't get the logic.

WHO SAID IT WAS OK,,,,all I said was it will never go away,learn to live with it,

only thing any of us can really do is teach our kids what's right and stay away from those who are racist,,,,,NOW DO WHAT YOU WANT NO ONE CAN STOP YOU

 

[Epic Voidfield]

I have two issues with this statement.

1. Shouldn't you be explaining to your child about slavery and slaves rather than why they're discussed in a math problem?

This leads to the second. . .

2. If your child doesn't need an explanation about slavery and slaves, how did he/she learn about it? Clearly you feel 8 year olds (and 9 and 10 year olds for that matter) are too young to learn about it (I disagree, but that's beside the point), but if you don't have to explain it, presumably your child already knows about it.

Are you suggesting that slavery and math problems based on slave activity are mutually exclusive? Because according to the school program in question, they are not, thus the outrage.

 

[imac_21]

I believe it's naive of you to believe questions about cotton picking slaves that came out of Georgia, is talking about ancient slaves of the world. Ancient slaves of Rome aren't on the consciousness of most Georgians, their form of slavery is. My family has personally experienced high amounts of racism while visiting Georgia, we will never go back there. it's still very racist in many areas. There is places where school dances are still racially segregated. It's the same state that tried starting a white's only basketball league under the idea that Black's ruined the sport.

You say we are conditioned to see blacks as slaves in this country, so what makes you think someone in Georgia with their long history of racial problems, would be conditioned any different? The fact that YOU know slavery has roots beyond racism, doesn't mean this can be dismissed as that.

Also you ask what's the appropriate age to teach them, but do you think 3rd grade MATH is the right place to teach about slavery? are math questions about beatings and picking cotton the most appropriate way of teaching them slavery?

I never said that they were talking about ancient slavery. I said slavery is not restricted to the American south. I also never said racism is dead.

I didn't say we are conditioned to see blacks as slaves. I said Americans are conditioned to associate slavery with that of the American south rather than Ancient Rome, First Nations (that's American Indians for those of you still living in the 1930s).

I asked what's the appropriate age to teach them. You didn't answer it though.

As for the right place to teach them, EVERYWHERE. I don't know how it works in Georgia, but here when you're in grade 3 you have the same teacher for all subjects. That would mean that this math teacher would also be the social studies and history teacher. If they're discussing slavery in social studies with the same teacher, why not incorporate it into math as well?

Is 8 years old too young to learn about proper and improper ways to treat others? You don't have to go into great detail and study the intricacies of the slavery and the slave trade in 18th and 19th Century America, but it's plenty old enough to start discussions on how people have been treated throughout history.

If human rights atrocities are not okay to investigate with 8, 9 and 10 year olds (as the parent implies in the article), what should they study in social studies? Should we gloss over the way people have been treated by those who, at the time, had more power?

When teaching about the conquest of North America, should we advertise it as a discovery of a new land and ignore those that were already here and the way they were treated?

Should we not mention any conflict in human history?