Black History Month . . . at school

With black history month right around the corner, I am going to give you all an aspect of what black history month is like at school. I must say that most of my friends do not black history month at all. It's not anything against black people or anything. They just hate all of the assignments and projects that they have to do in observation of black history month. As one of my friends said last year, "If we had a white history month I wouldn't like it either". I think that instead of shunning all of these projects and assignments that we, as students, have to do for black history month, we should step back and take note of the events that allow us to be students of the school we are in as equals. We should also remember that black history month is almost like another Thanksgiving. Once we, as students, see all that has been done for equality for not only blacks, but for all races, we are reminded to be so thankful for all of the rights that we take for granted today. I know the projects and the assignments that we have to do for black history month may be "crappy", but remember that we are given these assignments and projects, so that we may learn of the struggles, pains, and triumphs of the past that got us where we are today and I have to say that every black history month I learn something new from these projects and assignment, so I know from personal experience that these projects and assignments fulfill their purpose. Have you had the same experience with black history month projects and assignments?

Slavery Examples in Georgia School

Third graders in a Georgia elementary school were given a worksheet with some cross curricular examples in math class. It seems relatively harmless. The problem is that these examples involved slavery. The worksheet contains examples such as  "Each tree had 56 oranges. If 8 slaves pick them equally, then how much would each slave pick?" and "If Frederick got two beatings per day, how many beatings did he get in 1 week?." Many parents are outraged by this and claim that these math problems are racist. I personally believe that these problems are not racist, but the fact that a elementary school teacher made problems about slavery says that teacher takes the topic of slavery in America a bit too lightheartedly. I am not saying that these parents shouldn't be outraged, but I am saying that these parents are outraged for false reasons. These questions are in no way racist. In  fact, race is never mentioned in these problems. The questions given to these third graders were just a little insensitive to the topic of slavery in America. I would like to think that if the teacher had followed protocol like he should have  and had these questions examined, that they would have never reached the hands of these third graders, but who knows. How do you feel about this?