Slavery Examples Used In Georgia School Worksheet Upsets Parents (VIDEO)

Parents of students at Beaver Ridge Elementary School in Norcross, Ga., are outraged at the school district's response to the reports of using examples of slavery in math word problems, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.

The word problems in questions include references to slavery and "beatings," according to the paper.

"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?"

It's not just the word problems that are sparking criticism, but the way it's being handled. According to the AJC, district officials said the elementary school's principal will "work with teachers to come up with more appropriate lessons."

District spokesperson Sloan Roach told the station the teachers were trying to incorporate social studies lessons in math problems for a "cross-curricular activity."

Roach went on to tell My Fox Atlanta that, while the the questions were inappropriate, she doesn't believe the teachers meant any harm.

"This is simply a case of creating a bad question," Roach told the station.

Parent Terrance Barnett told WSB TV that having to explain the questions to his child was painful.

"Something like shouldn't be imbedded into a kid of the 3rd, 4th, 5th, any grade," Barnett told WSB TV. "I'm having to explain to my 8-year-old why slavery or slaves or beatings are in a math problem. That hurts."

WATCH:

Comments

[kotkova]

03:54 PM on 01/18/2013

Wow, this was done with hateful intentions towards kids OR Georgia really needs to update it's school material. Do they still dig out graves at night to learn about biology? At this point, I wouldn't be surprised.

[OverTaxedPayer]

10:47 AM on 01/18/2013

What type of sick culture would allow something like that?

[wiseirishwoman]

10:55 PM on 09/14/2012

As a retired teacher the teachers and the members of the School Board who supposedly "meant no harm" need a re-education program.

[kengarant]

07:43 PM on 09/14/2012

These people are pigs and need to be reprimanded if not fired. There is no excuse for this nonsense. No wonder they attack our embassies and burn our flag.

[Clifford Monroe]

07:27 PM on 09/14/2012

62% Mexican???? How did THAT happen????

[iowastate]

04:53 AM on 08/24/2012

if the teachers didn't have some inherent bigotry somewhere in their personality they would not have allowed the question to be used.
Only a caucasian who has not been involved in a mixed race marriage or relationship will fail to see the problems.
I

[World travel]

12:48 AM on 03/23/2012

Let me pose this question another way.

If the SS guards at the Auschwitz Concentration Camp gassed 100 Jews and cremated three-fifths of them, how many Jews were cremated?

What do you think of this math/history lesson question?
Would you ask this question in a Jewish school to Jewish children? Would Jewish parents approve?

As a African American, The worst thing about racism is when you try to fool people that it does not exist.

I for one am not fooled.

[lionstar]

12:00 AM on 06/26/2012

Yes, racism exists. F&F'd.

[Clifford Monroe]

07:31 PM on 09/14/2012

Why didnt they post something like:

If 100 Mexicans crossed the border illegally and only 53% made it across how many got caught by Border Patrol?

[whanes]

10:24 AM on 02/23/2012

It's so easy to wallow in the "problem" instead of talking about solutions. Was this inappropriate? If I were a teacher, I would have considered it very much so. But the solution to racism and bigotry isn't about correctly worded math problems. The best thing I see about this story is that it is a wonderful opportunity for parents across the country to sit their children down and teach them something about history, tolerance, and racism. Granted, some may teach an opinion I would not agree with - but I believe the vast majority would favor a more "enlightened" approach.

[Ponderus]

01:54 AM on 04/08/2012

And to make it an even better thing, fire everyone who perpetrated it, to show that society wont tolerate bigots as teachers.

[Dale Chan]

02:54 AM on 02/23/2012

This is like something out of Family Guy; sometimes the truth is stranger than fiction.

[redeye54]

01:47 PM on 02/22/2012

if these are valid questions then how about these........ if 85% of all crime committed in the US are commited by blacks but black are only 20% of the population then how many black are in prison............ OR if a mexican illegally cross the border and signs up for programs due to citizens only, then smuggles in the rest of his illegal family and they sign up for programs not legally due to them, what is the true cost to the us citizens........

[Troy Hunter]

03:29 PM on 02/22/2012

I think 85% a little high homeboy. Oops! Trolls already gone!

[MartinGillespie]

11:50 AM on 02/22/2012

biggest. backfire. ever.

[helorisc]

06:05 AM on 02/22/2012

if this was a hitler math test the jews would have close the school down

[Caribbean Chic]

04:18 AM on 01/28/2012

lol...Is this a joke. That is sooooooooooooooooooooooooo disgusting. Clearly if a so-called teacher doesnt see the problem with this - she really shouldnt be given that title.

[Jessyelena Williams]

09:21 AM on 08/15/2012

Somebody need to get with her after School hours!

[Claw Ciampi]

05:41 PM on 01/26/2012

That is sick.

-- "This is simply a case of creating a bad question," Roach told the station. --

Not so simple... there is some deep-rooted sickness underlying the creation of those math word problems.

[UpandComer]

01:09 AM on 01/23/2012

ahahahaha these questions are so funny. How could they write this stuff and keep a straight face? It's so abominable, it's funny.

I mean hmmm. I have a list of nouns and sentence subjects to choose from, it consists of every single one, ever. Letseeeee. I will choose 'slaves'. yes. And also I will choose 'beatings'.

God I hate people sometimes.