LIVONIA, Mich. — A racially offensive history lesson involving slavery has a Detroit mother outraged and calling out her daughter’s school.
The parent Livonia, Michigan says she’s speaking out so no other child has to go through a similar situation. Now, the school is issuing a statement of its own.
The lesson came during a seventh-grade social studies lesson at Frost Middle School in Livonia that left student Jade Holt disgusted.
“It was weird and uncomfortable,” Jade said.
She said her course on the history of slavery included a question that read: “A slave stands before you. This slave has disrespected his master by telling him you are not my master. How will you punish this slave?”
“I read the question and typed my answer. It was, 'there will be no punishment because I do not believe in slavery,'” Jade said.
“I never want my daughter to feel that way again, the way she felt this morning,” Jade's mother Jaala Holt said.
She believes the teacher also isn’t the only one to blame.
“Everything has to be approved before it’s given to the children. So, for whomever approved this inappropriate question for seventh graders, I find it asinine for me,” Jaala said.
A school spokesperson released the statement below, which read, in part:
“Concerns from a parent were brought to our attention this morning, and we have reviewed a social studies assignment given to three classes of our seventh-grade students. We recognize the assignment in question was not constructed appropriately, as we believe in the importance of approaching topics of slavery in any era of world history with the utmost care and consideration.”
The principal hasn’t said if anyone has been disciplined. At a minimum, Jaala Holt wants teachers to undergo cultural sensitivity training.
This story was originally published by WXYZ in Detroit.
