APS black student singled out to play cotton picking game

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why didn't the other students say something?

Because they are kids. Most adults still don't speak up in these kinds of situations.

And there was no "situation" to speak up about. It's ridiculous.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Also, looks like the mom doesn’t live in Arlington, but the grandmother does. Is she using a fraudulent address for the kid?

Been waiting for someone to mention this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:People have had their lives destroyed, loved ones killed etc., and they don’t get anywhere close to $10 million in compensation. If there was credibility to the claims, that credibility just went down the toilet with the absurdity of the demand.

Yeah like the family of the WL student killed by the drunk driver.

Is there a civil suit?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:And Gunston is back to having kids play stupid games on half days, which is what got them into this mess. My kid said it is supposed to be a break from stress related to SOL prep. You know what cuts down on test stress? Being well prepared instead of procrastinating by playing stupid games.


I can't wait until Wiggins is gone

While I agree with you about the test preparation v. playing stupid games thing (similarly, I thought TJ's "pep rallies" for SOLs were ridiculous, too), I disagree that playing the games is what got Gunston into this mess. What got them into this mess is this mother's exaggerations, mischaracterizations, and manipulation of the situation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They keep on saying that he was the only black kid in the class. Gunston is 30% white. I guarantee he wasn't the only person of color in the class.

Well, it's a french class. So, maybe he was? More likely, he's the only African American/Black kid and any other students of color are Latino or something other than Black.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why didn't the other students say something?

Because they are kids. Most adults still don't speak up in these kinds of situations.

Maybe because there wasn't anything to speak up about?! The kids rightfully perceived it as a stupid game like any other game and clearly not a "cotton picking" game designed to make african american students feel belittled or dehumanized. They ALL felt belittled and dehumanized by having to play these stupid games.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Also, looks like the mom doesn’t live in Arlington, but the grandmother does. Is she using a fraudulent address for the kid?

Technically, APS allows students if a primary caretaker or co-custodial parent is an Arlington resident. Is there's no custodial father living in Arlington, then it is pretty likely she's gaming the system by using the grandmother's address. But APS isn't going to do anything about that even if the kid doesn't go to his grandmother's for "after-school care," especially now with this ridiculous lawsuit.

[Anonymous]

Am I right that this game calls for kids to put Vaseline on their noses? Why would any kid volunteer to do that at school? I’m trying to imagine team building exercises like this at work, and all I can visualize is an episode of The Office. I don’t think APS should have to shell out $10 million, but I also think any game involving putting Vaseline on your face is degrading to all kids and just a hard pass for a teenager.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Also, looks like the mom doesn’t live in Arlington, but the grandmother does. Is she using a fraudulent address for the kid?

They should charge them with residency fraud just for sheer pettiness.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Also, looks like the mom doesn’t live in Arlington, but the grandmother does. Is she using a fraudulent address for the kid?

They should charge them with residency fraud just for sheer pettiness.

Are the legal fees associated with this type of lawsuit built into APS’s budget? Is any settlement covered by insurance? Will a payout cause a hike in insurance premiums? I’m just wondering what the price tag is for the rest of us when frivolous claims need to be defended against.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They keep on saying that he was the only black kid in the class. Gunston is 30% white. I guarantee he wasn't the only person of color in the class.

Well, it's a french class. So, maybe he was? More likely, he's the only African American/Black kid and any other students of color are Latino or something other than Black.

Is there a particular reason why everyone does fine except that particular AA kid then?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They keep on saying that he was the only black kid in the class. Gunston is 30% white. I guarantee he wasn't the only person of color in the class.

Well, it's a french class. So, maybe he was? More likely, he's the only African American/Black kid and any other students of color are Latino or something other than Black.

Is there a particular reason why everyone does fine except that particular AA kid then?

His mom. His mom is the reason. The kid in one of the early ABC interviews pretty much admitted that he didn't see a problem with the game until he "thought about it" after telling his mom. Mom saw dollar signs at an opportunity to illuminate a sign of purported systemic racism at APS. All of the harm caused in this whole situation was instigated and made worse by the actions of this poor child's mother. It all could have been avoided, but then where would the chance of a payday have come from.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Also, looks like the mom doesn’t live in Arlington, but the grandmother does. Is she using a fraudulent address for the kid?

They should charge them with residency fraud just for sheer pettiness.

That mom has MD plates, and has for a long time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Also, looks like the mom doesn’t live in Arlington, but the grandmother does. Is she using a fraudulent address for the kid?

how do you know this?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They keep on saying that he was the only black kid in the class. Gunston is 30% white. I guarantee he wasn't the only person of color in the class.

Well, it's a french class. So, maybe he was? More likely, he's the only African American/Black kid and any other students of color are Latino or something other than Black.

Mom wants to make it look like he's the only minority in the class. Turns out virtually every person involved in this story is a person of color. The students, the teacher, the parents, the principal, the superintendent, etc....

which is also why it is gross that the Arlington NAACP is taking her side. This is why I don't trust anything they ever say on behalf of AA issues in Arlington.