An Elementary School Apologized After Students Were Instructed To Play A "Runaway Slave" Game

[left-of-center2012]

A Virginia elementary school principal has apologized to parents after students were instructed to play a Black History Month "game" where they pretended to be runaway slaves navigating the Underground Railroad as they encountered obstacles.

The gym class activity at Madison's Trust Elementary School in Ashburn, Virginia, spurred sharp criticism from the community, and prompted the school's principal to reach out to parents to apologize for the class activity, calling it "culturally insensitive."

Michelle Thomas, president of the Loudoun NAACP Chapter, told BuzzFeed News the civil rights organization has for years received complaints from parents regarding similar activities, usually around February, over students being asked to adopt similar "roles" in games and lessons for Black History Month. "[Slavery] was never a game, and it should never be taken lightly," she told BuzzFeed News. "It's sickening. It's racist."

The lesson was not part of the school curriculum, said Wayde Byard, spokesperson for the Loudoun County Public Schools., and the game was presented only at Madison's Trust Elementary. "The lesson was re-taught and the mistakes with the original lesson discussed with students," he said. "As adults, we feel it is proper to model conduct and accept responsibility when a mistake is made."

Thomas said the school staff, including the three teachers and dean involved in the lesson, will undergo bias training, and ensure that interdisciplinary lessons in the future regarding history, and in particular African American history, are reviewed by the principal.

https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/salvadorhernandez/virginia-school-runaway-slave-game-apology

[Me.]

1. Here's What I Want To Know

What was the thinking behind this in the first place? And if the teachers don't know why this was so wrong, bias training isn't going to fix it.

[treestar]

2. The odd thing is they were teaching them about the

underground railroad. So there was some sense of getting black history across. Then they choose this manner of doing it. Bizarre. They probably do such things for other types of lessons to keep the students involved, as opposed to just lectures or reading, so possibly that kept them oblivious.

[RobinA]

3. I Kinda Get It

It isn't something I would ever do if I were a teacher, but in today's teaching when everything has to be "experiential" I can sort see where they were going. I'd be interested to hear what the kids got out of it

[Me.]

4. And What Were The White Kids Doing, Chasing THem?

I also wonder why the white children weren't given slave roles.

[treestar]

6. Maybe all the kids were "slaves"

Or they could take the roles regardless of race. It might actually be constructive for white kids to take the parts of slaves.

[curlyred]

5. Quite the experience for the black kids in the class

Nope, I have to disagree. No justification for this shit. It was reprehensible. And the ‘apology’ wa not much of one either.