Since the abolishment of slavery the majority of people of all races have made huge strides against racism. Unfortunately, racism does still exist but the overall progress within society has been moving in a positive direction by putting to bed this awful beast. However, Olivia Katrandjian, a reporter at ABC News, recently discovered what some third graders math homework entailed in a Georgia Elementary school, in Gwinnett County. This particular elementary school digressed in the area of helping to put to rest racism. Katrandjian reported that some of the math problems presented to third grade children related directly to slavery with a not-so-positive spin , “The question read, “Each tree had 56 oranges. If eight slaves pick them equally, then how much would each slave pick?”‘ and “Another math problem read, “If Frederick got two beatings per day, how many beatings did he get in one week?””
Gwinnett County school district spokeswoman Sloan Roach explained that the math questions were related to the social studies curriculum. In hindsight, after causing several parents to become quite outraged the school district has agreed it was wrong. Roach said, “”We understand that there are concerns about these questions, and we agree that these questions were not appropriate.”
The school district may have thought combining math problems and social studies curriculum together was a great idea, but did they really need to be so explicit with the math questions? Did the schools in this county invite the parents to the school to review the curriculum at parent night? If these school administrators are in fact educated in social foundations, diversity, and ethics how did these particular math questions make it into the classroom?
It is fortunate that the school district quickly admitted they were in the wrong in their poor decision making in regards to developing this particular lesson plan. It is instances such as these that seem to upset the balance, if we can even say there is any balance in this sensitive issue.
Nonetheless, there have been positive strides within society to abolish racism. Any racism sets society backward as a whole and prevents unity. Racism does not belong in present day society because we all know we are all human beings who all deserve the right to pursue happiness within our own lives.
Resources:
ABC News