Racially Insensitive Teacher?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think the teacher meant well, was trying to come from a good place. I think it falls under the category of poor judgment because the kids are young. I remember when my child's K teacher read a story to the class about the civil rights movement and talked to the kids about the police using dogs attack black people. My child was very disturbed by this image and I believed that the teacher should have chosen a book that was age appropriate.

Yes.

What she probably should have done was shirt colors, or something else, or really saved the lesson plan for an older age.

[Anonymous]

I would talk to the teacher but not the principal. The teacher is the one who needs to understand why the lesson was a mistake. Talking to the principal without talking to the teacher is sort of cowardly anyway.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think the teacher meant well, was trying to come from a good place. I think it falls under the category of poor judgment because the kids are young. I remember when my child's K teacher read a story to the class about the civil rights movement and talked to the kids about the police using dogs attack black people. My child was very disturbed by this image and I believed that the teacher should have chosen a book that was age appropriate.

Yes.

What she probably should have done was shirt colors, or something else, or really saved the lesson plan for an older age.

Yes, the students could have worn different shirts or sashes or something. One could could have polka dots, the other could have stripes. I think that there is a Dr. Seuss book about this? My guess is that the teacher has never had children of her own this age. She isn't racist, or she wouldn't have been trying to teach this lesson. She just doesn't know what is age-appropriate. By the way, my daughter was in a high school musical about racial segregation called "All Shook Up." Even in high school, it was awkward to act out the bus scene.

[Anonymous]

I agree with pp that the very fact the teacher was doing this lesson means she was trying to teach students not to be racist. However you choose to approach her, please assume she did this with goodwill and start from a place where you two agree on the important goal of teaching about racism. I would just mention that she might want to do it using shirts or something in the future to make it less uncomfortable for black children. If the teacher was white (everyone seems to assume this but we don’t know), I expect she will be mortified that it was received that way.

Be nice, people. The odds that a kindergarten teacher is a giant a$$hole are low.

[Anonymous]

I’m a black with biracial children and wouldn’t complain. As a country we can not eradicate racism without talking about it, modeling the past for children to understand and integrating it into the school curriculum lest we fall prey to it again by not talking about it. I’d first email the teacher to see if there’s a way for you support what she is discussing at school. Also, if you OP are Black then you should already be teaching your child his/her history i.e. Black social organizations, the National History Museum of African American history etc. My DH also teaches my children that not all “white” people were racist even in those times and many supported the civil rights movement by marching or supported the Underground Railroad during times of slavery. Beware of some people on this board because they immediately odemonize all people —-instead of looking at true context. It makes it hard to discuss race with people telling Black people or anyone whose people has experienced injustice how to feel. If you are not sure of what to do, it’s clear that in your gut you might not believe the teacher was out to offend.

[Anonymous]

I’m the PP poster. I meant to type I’m a black woman with biracial children. Stupid autocorrect!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Totally insensitive. This reminds me of this - story about field trip to pick cotton:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PToqVW4n86U

"We was singing songs and shit!" I love this video for his storytelling.

[Anonymous]

I thought all schools in the US are focused on race, even in preschool. Four years ago, a preschool teachers line up kids in a oreschool class based on their skin tone and then told all the kids that your skin color doesnt define who you are. My Indian college said his son was very excited because his skin color was defined as Chocolate and he loves chocolate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My son’s kindergarten teacher taught a lesson on segregation a few weeks ago where she built a bus and had the children sit in the order of their skin complexion to demonstrate segregation. The only reason I knew this is she posted a picture online for parents in the classroom to see. When I first saw the picture it did not sit right with me. I talked to my son about it and explained yes as an African American there was a time where he would sit in the back but things have changed. Most recently my son has brought it back up and on a few occasions with extended family has said where they would sit on the bus based on their skin complexion. This really bothers me and I am thinking of talking to the principal. Thoughts? Am I making too much of a big deal?

Racially insensitive is a very polite way of putting it.

[Anonymous]

I’m AA and a social studies teacher in MCPS. What the teacher did was inappropriate and insensitive. It also seems very random. I’m really curious about what district and school this lesson occurred in. Segregation is not part of the K curriculum in MCPS and I can’t find it in the state standards either.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m AA and a social studies teacher in MCPS. What the teacher did was inappropriate and insensitive. It also seems very random. I’m really curious about what district and school this lesson occurred in. Segregation is not part of the K curriculum in MCPS and I can’t find it in the state standards either.

OP Here. This occurred in MCPS in one of the language immersion programs. I need to find out more details but I think it was part of a discussion about Martin Luther King, JR. Good point about the curriculum. I will look into that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m AA and a social studies teacher in MCPS. What the teacher did was inappropriate and insensitive. It also seems very random. I’m really curious about what district and school this lesson occurred in. Segregation is not part of the K curriculum in MCPS and I can’t find it in the state standards either.

Pp here (Rosa Parks skit). Happened during Black History month in a regular MCPS kindergarten. I really liked the teacher generally, but she made some poor judgment calls— I think reflecting her enthusiasm for teaching.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I agree with pp that the very fact the teacher was doing this lesson means she was trying to teach students not to be racist. However you choose to approach her, please assume she did this with goodwill and start from a place where you two agree on the important goal of teaching about racism. I would just mention that she might want to do it using shirts or something in the future to make it less uncomfortable for black children. If the teacher was white (everyone seems to assume this but we don’t know), I expect she will be mortified that it was received that way.

Be nice, people. The odds that a kindergarten teacher is a giant a$$hole are low.

+1000

[Anonymous]

“


I agree with pp that the very fact the teacher was doing this lesson means she was trying to teach students not to be racist. However you choose to approach her, please assume she did this with goodwill and start from a place where you two agree on the important goal of teaching about racism. I would just mention that she might want to do it using shirts or something in the future to make it less uncomfortable for black children. If the teacher was white (everyone seems to assume this but we don’t know), I expect she will be mortified that it was received that way.

Be nice, people. The odds that a kindergarten teacher is a giant a$$hole are low.”

Spot on.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m AA and a social studies teacher in MCPS. What the teacher did was inappropriate and insensitive. It also seems very random. I’m really curious about what district and school this lesson occurred in. Segregation is not part of the K curriculum in MCPS and I can’t find it in the state standards either.

OP Here. This occurred in MCPS in one of the language immersion programs. I need to find out more details but I think it was part of a discussion about Martin Luther King, JR. Good point about the curriculum. I will look into that.

She needs retraining. These incidents happened a lot in the past. In the last five years, the RTs and curriculum specialists have really hammered home: no slave ships, no yellow stars, no “Indian names” and no back of the bus scenarios. It is not hard to address these important events using children’s lit and film.