APS black student singled out to play cotton picking game

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:May God give me (or better yet someone else) the strength to call out the BS on AEM right now.

No one is going to say anything b/c no one wants to face S. It's crazy how different AEM is now from when it first started.

Agree where have all the normal parents gone?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They were using cotton balls for a class-wide game much like cotton balls are used for arts and crafts projects. Nothing to do with “cotton-picking” to invoke themes of slavery.

Cannot believe how much the kid’s mother is twisting this thing! I care deeply about issues of racial justice but we need to bring back common sense.

+1000

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The fact that you put racist in quotes tells me exactly who you are.

DP, but no. The game is not “picking cotton” and is not racist. Unless anything having to do with cotton is considered racist, how could a sub from another country, or this one for that matter, ever think that pushing around cotton balls with your nose is racist and resembles picking cotton? Was it a waste of time and not what should be happening in school? Yes. Was it handled poorly by a clueless but needed sun? Seems like it. But this family is the reason the kid is now in the library and they clearly want money or for APS to foot the bill for a private placement.

He felt uncomfortable and told his teacher so. The mom thinks it's racist. The NAACP got involved. I don't know what else to tell you. If a Black person tells you something's racist, I'm going to listen to them, not some anonymous person.

But when they say that everything is racist, including cotton, they lose all credibility.

exactly. there has to be a reasonable middle ground where we are allowed to discuss the fact that actions/words that may be subjectively experienced as racist are not actually racist. the subjective feeling should be sensitively addressed (especially for kids) but the people with authority must take care not to fan the flames or punish unjustly.

Clueless person white people have been doing this forever and talking over and deciding what is racist and what is not. You think you are the boss of everyone and decide what is based on your self interest.

The definition of "racist" isn't up for individual interpretation. Your opinion or "experience" that a stupid game that happens to use cotton balls instead of feathers (oops, tar and feather is probably trauma-invoking, too - so...let's say leaves or pieces of felt) does not mean the stupid game is actually racist and insensitive. I take offense at your "clueless person white people" comment and therefore I declare it racist. Does that work?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:May God give me (or better yet someone else) the strength to call out the BS on AEM right now.

There's no point arguing with a person who thinks it is hurtful to black children to make "snowmen" by pasting cotton balls onto construction paper

What materials can we make clouds out of? I guess paint will have to do for everything. But then, you know, "paint" - "blackface" - "trauma-inducing" - "painting white clouds is a racist and insensitive activity."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think the issue is now that the child is being forced to segregate and take the class by himself in the Library while the long term sub still teaches the others. And he’s being bullied by other students because of the fallout.

Gunston/APS could have found a better solution. I know teachers are hard to find (particularly foreign language ones), but it’s not his fault that he found himself in a racist game. It’s not fair, but can he go to another MS?

The blamed falls 100% here on the adults who acted ridiculously by blowing this out of proportion. It’s fine for kids to feel and express that something impacted them or was “racist.” It’s up to the ADULTS to keep things in their proper perspective. I also lay the blame on internet cancel culture, which force people wrongfully accused of racism into extremely defensive postures.

You are correct, I blame the adults.

I blame the adult sub who confronted the student in class the next day in front of his peers. She could have diffused the situation but she chose to escalate it. That's not a mature adult response.

I blame the school administration that put the student in a room by himself with a video screen to learn.

I blame the school administration for not addressing the harassment this student has endured after this situation.

What the heck is going on at Gunston?

Exactly. I do think the parents have misrepresented what went on here but the game itself is offensive and they should not make students participate. The school's response to the child and the family seem retaliatory. That's worth filing a civil rights complaint. All the adults need to put the kid first. They aren't.

The game itself is NOT offensive. And it doesn't seem that it was taken in an offensive way by anyone other than an opportunistic black mother willing to use her son as a pawn. I doubt she actually believes the game is offensive or racist.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:May God give me (or better yet someone else) the strength to call out the BS on AEM right now.

No one is going to say anything b/c no one wants to face S. It's crazy how different AEM is now from when it first started.

Agree where have all the normal parents gone?

They’re lurking because there’s absolutely nothing to gain from engaging with crazy people on a semi-public forum. Much better to keep a finger on the pulse of crazy and advocate quietly through office hours or emails.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:May God give me (or better yet someone else) the strength to call out the BS on AEM right now.

No one is going to say anything b/c no one wants to face S. It's crazy how different AEM is now from when it first started.

Agree where have all the normal parents gone?

They’re lurking because there’s absolutely nothing to gain from engaging with crazy people on a semi-public forum. Much better to keep a finger on the pulse of crazy and advocate quietly through office hours or emails.

+1 Yep!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kids go to Gunston and on all the half day Wednesdays they play these kinds of games instead of teaching the kids anything academic. I wish the NAACP would get upset about that. A lot of these kids are way behind due to a variety of factors including COVID. I realize the half days are tough but there has to be something more constructive the school could be doing.

The stupidity of having to put vaseline on your face to pick them up bothers me. Forcing them to do that is gross and I know a lot of kids would not want to participate. They should never force something like that on a kid. I have a kid with sensory issues who would have been upset by this. It is one of the most stupid activities I have ever heard of.

OK, but this game shows up on every list of "fun minute to win it games"

https://tinybeans.com/the-best-minute-to-win-it-games-for-kids/
http://stumingames.com/2013/03/in-case-youve-missed-our-top-20-countdown-this-month-here-are-minute-to-win-it-games-11-20-stumin/
https://www.yourhomebasedmom.com/christmas-minute-to-win-it-games/
https://museumhack.com/online-minute-to-win-it-games/
https://mrsrootsmusic.weebly.com/minute-to-win-it.html
https://www.liveabout.com/minute-to-win-it-nose-dive-1396676

[Anonymous]

The stupidity of having to play any of these "team building" games either in school or at work, bothers me. This game sounds idiotic.

They were there to learn french, not to "team build."

I hope the parents win.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The stupidity of having to play any of these "team building" games either in school or at work, bothers me. This game sounds idiotic.

They were there to learn french, not to "team build."

I hope the parents win.

You hope they win because the game is stupid?

No one’s arguing that it was a good use of time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The stupidity of having to play any of these "team building" games either in school or at work, bothers me. This game sounds idiotic.

They were there to learn french, not to "team build."

I hope the parents win.

I hate that people like you end up on juries.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think the issue is now that the child is being forced to segregate and take the class by himself in the Library while the long term sub still teaches the others. And he’s being bullied by other students because of the fallout.

Gunston/APS could have found a better solution. I know teachers are hard to find (particularly foreign language ones), but it’s not his fault that he found himself in a racist game. It’s not fair, but can he go to another MS?

The blamed falls 100% here on the adults who acted ridiculously by blowing this out of proportion. It’s fine for kids to feel and express that something impacted them or was “racist.” It’s up to the ADULTS to keep things in their proper perspective. I also lay the blame on internet cancel culture, which force people wrongfully accused of racism into extremely defensive postures.

You are correct, I blame the adults.

I blame the adult sub who confronted the student in class the next day in front of his peers. She could have diffused the situation but she chose to escalate it. That's not a mature adult response.

I blame the school administration that put the student in a room by himself with a video screen to learn.

I blame the school administration for not addressing the harassment this student has endured after this situation.

What the heck is going on at Gunston?

Exactly. I do think the parents have misrepresented what went on here but the game itself is offensive and they should not make students participate. The school's response to the child and the family seem retaliatory. That's worth filing a civil rights complaint. All the adults need to put the kid first. They aren't.

The game was stupid and a waste of time, but it wasn’t racist.

How have the school’s actions been retaliatory?

News flash: they’re struggling for teachers.

The game sounds racist to me. The school is also racist. They didn’t even apologize or attempt to resolve the issue.

Now, that Mr. Fairfax is involved, I bet they will address the issue, but it shouldn’t have taken all that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The stupidity of having to play any of these "team building" games either in school or at work, bothers me. This game sounds idiotic.

They were there to learn french, not to "team build."

I hope the parents win.

I hate that people like you end up on juries.

Sounds like you prefer juries with twelve white supremacists. And if that’s not the makeup, you won’t like the jury.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:May God give me (or better yet someone else) the strength to call out the BS on AEM right now.

No one is going to say anything b/c no one wants to face S. It's crazy how different AEM is now from when it first started.

She’s definitely a bully.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ugh. Now on AEM you have a poster saying it’s not a cotton picking game, and a response using the hashtag whitesplaining. We can’t have a civilized conversation about this because to call it just a stupid game is being branded racist. I’m sure not going to voice my view over there. Can’t it be true that the game was racially insensitive and also be true that a demand letter for $10 million is offensive and completely disproportionate to whatever responsibility APS may have for how the child was left feeling? Asserting a claim for harm to the tune of $10 million removes any nuance from the dialogue. I was originally sympathetic to the child and was ready to hear how APS was prepared to do better going forward, but my sympathy is entirely with APS now that it’s become a blatant money grab. They don’t think they think they’re going to get this money - they’ve likely been advised to over-ask in order to extract a lucrative settlement to make the problem go away. Squeaky wheel gets the grease and all. Hopefully APS recognizes that this would open the door to other frivolous claims and will choose instead to invest in defending against this type of extortion.

This is precisely why so many of us who know what’s going on with this family, haven’t said anything. Day care families where she works, this kids teachers, etc all known for years the family lived in Maryland, but used an address of a family member in Arlington for residency purposes. (as previously mentioned even traffic citation show the mothers address in Maryland as of a few years ago). Why didn’t we report? It’s not lost on us the optics of mostly white families paying 5K a month in preschool reporting a family who just want something better for their child. I understand why they want to be in APS and yes 50, many of us joked about it, but did not care enough to turn them in. BUT now that she’s trying to sue the county that has been giving her free access to things for a years for millions, over an incident that had no intentional racial undertones and could’ve been handled differently… It’s infuriating.

I agree 100%. I’ve turned my eye to many residency cheats over the years, even when it had a detrimental effect on my classroom but this is infuriating.