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Mom Says Math Homework is Racist
Filed under: In The News, Weird But True
A middle-school math teacher is in the hot seat for including an image of a toothless black man on a homework sheet, and at least one parent is calling the illustration racist.
The Courier Times in Bucks County, Pa., reports that the African-American parent of an eighth-grader at Lenape Middle School was so distressed over the image of a black, toothless man on her son's math homework that she kept the boy home from school the following day.
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"I couldn't understand what I was looking at," says the woman, whose identity was not revealed by the newspaper. The work sheet, titled "Solving Equations using Multiplication and Division!," featured a photo of a black man in a straw hat and a shirt and suspenders, his mostly toothless mouth agape. Underneath the picture is the grammatically incorrect phrase, "NO WAI!!!"
School district spokeswoman Karen Smith says that teacher Matthew Curran often uses photos and cartoons on his worksheets, and sent an e-mail to the Courier including a statement from Curran."I chose it because it said 'no way,' which is a comment my students make when I require them to show each calculation," he writes in an e-mail. "I had no idea that I might offend anyone. I am very sorry for any distress that this has caused my students and the community." Curran claims that he found the image through a Google search for "multiply and divide."
The student's mother was not only distressed by the image, but also by reports of what happened to her son when his classmates saw the work sheet. The boy is the only African-American student in the pre-algebra class, and he says he was teased by other students.
"One of the kids in the classroom turned around and said, 'Is that your father?,' " she tells the Courier. "We are highly insulted and offended. We sent him to school to learn pre-algebra. He should be protected from this stuff, not have it thrown in his face ... He gets enough (racial slurs) and negativity from the kids. To have the teacher encourage it?"
The boy's family met with NAACP Bucks County President John Jordan, and released a written statement about the incident, the Courier reports.
"It brings into question whether all of our children are being provided a safe and fair environment in which to learn. What happened here is unacceptable, and we will take steps to make sure it never happens again," the statement reads.
According to the NAACP, several other students expressed their concerns about the picture, but the teacher told the kids to keep working, says the boy's mom. She did, however, ask her own son why he didn't leave the classroom. "He said, 'Mommy, I'm in school.' He knows the rules. He has to follow the rules," she tells the Courier. "He's trying to get on the honor roll right now."
Nick Chubb, Lenape Middle School principal, declined to comment but did tell the newspaper that administrators are investigating the matter. In the meantime, the boy's mother is keeping her child home until the situation is resolved.
"Racism is usually so subtle. To have it so blatant is what is so shocking," she says. "Hopefully, we can all learn from this and move forward in a positive way -- for everyone, not just the black kids or the Hispanic kids or the Jewish kids or the other subgroups ... We need some peace and understanding. I don't want hate."
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ReaderComments (Page 5 of 25)
11-21-2009 @ 8:27PM
Gary said...If the soul brother had brushed, flossed & taken better care of his teeth, this probably would have been a non-issue.
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11-21-2009 @ 8:36PM
Andrea said...I am an African American and I personally think that in this instance things were definitely blown way out of proportion. I have recieved this picture in a text several times never once did racist or racism come to mind. The NAACP surely should not be involved in something like this.
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11-21-2009 @ 8:54PM
Babygirl said...When you received this image in texts multiple times (and wasn't offended), did you receive it from a black or white person?
If I received it from a black person, it's because they know how I would perceive it, if I had received it from a white( or another nationality), I would be offended because they have no idea how I would perceive.
So, to send this image to someone that you have no personal relationship with or have no idea how it would be perceived would be very ignorant on the senders part and if the receiver did not feel offended, then they have no respect for their culture.
11-21-2009 @ 10:58PM
talkinturtles said...so babygirl, if a black person sends you the picture, it's okay? if a white person sends the picture, it's racist? how does that work?
11-22-2009 @ 6:32AM
Mark said...Answer to talkinturtles:
It doesn't work, unless you're racist.
Welcome to the clan, babygirl.
11-21-2009 @ 8:32PM
emi said...if it was thesame picture but a white person would anybody still make a big fuss over it.......noi dont think so.
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11-21-2009 @ 8:37PM
Kim said...After looking up the picture myself, I agree the image is racist BUT the mother shouldn't have made such a big deal because having your mommy intervene in your school life is sooo embarrassing :(
And to those of you saying it wouldn't have been a big deal if it was a pic of a white redneck, well, duhhh, because white people LIKE separating themselves into different divsions of white (ie, "white trash," "redneck" "hillbilly") compared to "classy" whites. Those terms aren't used by non-whites. But how many times do you see white posters online calling infamous white celebs like Jessica Simpson, Britney, Miley and even George Bush "white trash", "redneck" or "hillbilly."
White people consider this non-offensive because it's only used to insult other white people they dislike or find to be of "lower class" than them, not ALL whites as a group. Even Taylor Swift can use the term "redneck" in a song to bash her ex-boyfriend without offending other whites.
White people like to make fun of white "hillbillys" because it doesn't hurt THEM, only the hillbillys in question. On the other hand, white people don't have a "coon" stereotype that was used against them as an entire group to keep them from progressing in image. Look up the history of minstrel shows. Images that remind black people of minstrel shows are as offensive to them as the swastika and "ugly, big nose image" is to Jewish people. Sure, the swastika is "technically" not offensive in the sense that it didn't start off as a bad symbol and big nose images are technically not offensive by themselves. But it still reminds Jews of the years of humiliation and degredation their group had to endure and can still be very hurtful.
No doubt the black mother grew up in a different time when people were very racist towards her and she doesn't want her son to go through the same thing. If this happened at an all black school, it wouldn't have been that offensive but you also have to understand why some jokes are funny to some groups and not others (like the redneck example above ^ )
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11-21-2009 @ 9:10PM
Ann said..."ie, "white trash," "redneck" "hillbilly") compared to "classy" whites. Those terms aren't used by non-whites."
Those terms are not used by non-whites? You sure about that cuz I beg to differ... many blacks have classed us ALL as white trash or hillbillies all the time... can't tell you how many times I've been called that by black people... even the blacks in my own house make fun of all white people using those exact terms on a daily basis... not that I condone that but it happens. And you find the picture was racist... could you tell us how so? You find it racist... then explain how it is racist cuz I don't understand how it was racist just because it was a black man in the pic. How exactly was it racist?
11-22-2009 @ 12:56PM
lisa said...Kim,
You are the only intelligent person responding to this story. Thankyou for your insight. People just want an excuse to continue on their ignorant ways, to not have to think about painful history of this world, to be lazy. That teacher used extremely poor judgement. He is a teacher for pete's sake- be aware man! How many kids go through school being miserable because of that underlying racist (intentional or not) attitude? He SHOULD know his history because he IS a teacher. Why couldn't he see this coming?
I don't know if you are a teacher but you would be great. You would set a good example of what an intelligent, culturally aware person should be. We need more of that in the world.
11-21-2009 @ 8:37PM
nana7 said...She must not allow her son to watch tv or movies. It's a common saying. If she reacts like this to a pic, wonder how she would react to her son dating a redneck.. Truth is Blacks use that phrase more then whites. The Black sit coms really put down the Blacks. The mother just wants money...
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11-21-2009 @ 8:45PM
bb said...Good, keep him out of school for a month or two, that will solve the problem. And when he can only get an entry level job because he cant add or subtract, then you can blame it on whitey
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11-21-2009 @ 8:45PM
Annee said...Insensitive, yes. Racist, no. Should the teacher and students apologize, yes. End of story. Funny, if the picture had been of a white "hillbilly", no one would have been offended, although I myself found the show "Dukes of Hazard" in extremely poor taste in its portrayal of southern people, and especially law enforcement as a bunch of idiots, that doesn't seem to bother most people, black OR white.
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11-21-2009 @ 8:43PM
LittleBlackSambo said...Hey mom, how about the FACT 72% of all black men abandon their children. How about the FACT 38% of all blacks can not read or write beyond a third-grade level. You are yet another reason why the black race is in denial.
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11-21-2009 @ 8:45PM
Esther said...If this photo is "out there" and is known in blogs and emails,etc., then it must not be that big of a deal, since this is the first time I've ever heard of a problem with it. I'm sure the boy involved has seen it himself. It does seem strange, however, that it would be used on a homework sheet or any image be used on a homework sheet as is mentioned in this story.
That being said, it is too easy to cry racism everywhere in almost every situation these days. It is disappointing that the mother chooses to keep her son out of class while this is being investigated as a protest. The boy is there to learn pre-algebra and that's where he should be. Again, too easy of an accomplishment. No one will probably make his absence from class an issue. I guess when this boy falls behind in his studies, it will be someone else's fault, too. Also disappointing is the statement given by the NAACP saying that this incident calls into question that all children are provided a safe and fair environment in which to learn. Does that include the many black students who brings guns and implements of harm to school with the intention to harm other students or teachers? What about the students who go to school to learn? How safe and fair is that environment?
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11-21-2009 @ 8:46PM
Annee said...Perhaps this mother could help desensitize her child to such teasing.
When asked if it were his father, he could look at it carefully and say, No, is it yours?
This situation reminds me of those lunatic fringe Christians who see the devil under every rock. Sometimes a funny picture is just a funny picture.
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11-21-2009 @ 8:48PM
Nathan said...Does this lady know what racism is? What a stupid person..
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11-21-2009 @ 8:48PM
mezl said...teacher coulda used a little more common sense.... should've realized how it might have affected the boy.
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11-21-2009 @ 8:49PM
Daddo said...The article I cluicked on said the mother spent the weekend in tears. Yeah...right. She spent the weekend wondering how much money she can get out of another bullshit lawsuit.
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11-21-2009 @ 8:50PM
colleen slanina said...All of these images are part of "Americana". Next thing you know we will be banning Steven Foster music as racist. Among my favorites, which I learned and loved in elementary school, and still cherish today, are "Swanee River", "Old Black Joe", "My Old Kentucky Home", "Look away Dixieland", etc etc. We need to present these images not as racist or discriminatory, but as part of our rich, beloved, and collective culture. Most of us have experienced some sort of 'slur' -- whether Irish, Italian, Jewish, Chinese and the list goes on. I wish we could get over being so paranoid and become more comfortable with ourselves and our heritage. It can be explained to our children in a manner in which past generation struggles can be a source of strength and pride and understanding and compassion.
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11-21-2009 @ 8:52PM
Tim said...Oh for heavens sake will everyone get off of the racism kick already. Every little thing has to be examined now just to see if racism was intended and even if it weren't people still play the race card. I'm not saying that racism isn't an issue but it will be lessened by a very high degree if those of us in the minority stop playing that card.
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