Current Events > Liberals furious due to 4th Graders assignment to list good reasons for slavery.

(+) Yeah! (+)

A homework assignment from a Wisconsin elementary school has sparked outrage when a teacher asked fourth-graders to list "good" reasons for slavery.

Fourth-grade students at Milwaukee's Our Redeemer Lutheran School were assigned to write about slavery for their homework, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. The students were asked in the assignment to list "3 'good' reasons for slavery and 3 bad reasons." Concerned parent Trameka Brown-Berry posted the homework assignment to Facebook on Jan. 9, criticizing the school for asking her child to defend slavery.

"Does anyone else find my 4th grader's homework offensive?" wrote Trameka in her post, including an image of the assignment given to her son, Jerome.

When prompted to provide "good" reasons for slavery, Jerome wrote, "I feel there is no good reason for slavery, that's why I did not write."

The post sparked outrage from commenters who called the assignment "offensive" and "oppressive."

"His answer addressed all forms of slavery, race was not the issue," wrote one commenter. "This child should be praised for having the fortitude to seeing that his teacher's question had no good in it at any cost... his grade. Praise that baby."

"As a teacher, I would have looked at that assignment and would have been very offended," said another. "Even understanding the purpose of the assignment and what she was trying to accomplish. I am still offended and I feel some type of way."

Jim Van Dallen, an administrator for the school, said that school administrators were "in active conversations with parents" over the homework, which he called an "unintentionally, poorly worded assignment."

Van Dellen added that the assignment would no longer be part of the curriculum, according to KPRC.

Van Dellen and the school's principal senior paster Andrew Steinke apologized to parents in a letter.

"On behalf of Our Redeemer Lutheran School, we sincerely apologize for the fact that an assignment given to a fourth-grade class yesterday was not clearly explained to students and their parents," read the letter.

"The result was a strong call to action to address the situation," the message continued. "We understand that, as presented, the words used showed a lack of sensitivity and were offensive.The purpose of the assignment was not, in any way, to have students argue that ANY slavery is acceptable -- a concept that goes against our core values and beliefs about the equality and worth of people of all races."

Trameka said that she was relieved the situation could be resolved.

"Out of a very negative situation, we were able to take to resolve this issue," said the mom. "That is so beautiful, thank you. Speak up, tell your story and voice your opinion because that is how you go about change, and that is what I was trying to model for my son."

Full Article: https://www.opposingviews.com/i/society/wisconsin-teachers-assignment-asked-good-reasons-slavery




Man, I feel like if someone made a topic on CE saying "List 3 good reasons and 3 bad reasons for slavery" they would be warned within like 3 minutes.

The surname of the concerned parent is pretty ironic too.
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duckbear making up articles again
no mention of irony in it

Yeah, making a thread about slavery, or asking people if they would have slaves if it were legal is considered offensive and would get modded immediately.
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Why is this a bad thing?

Why do teachers keep doing this shit?
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pieisthebest posted...

Yeah, making a thread about slavery, or asking people if they would have slaves if it were legal is considered offensive and would get modded immediately.

Somewhere some poor 4th grader is going to their favorite message board, going "Can you guys help me out, I need you all to list good reasons for slavery for me, it'd help me convince my peers a lot. Thank you." and then being banned because they think s/he is a troll.

That kid is crying tonight.
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UnfairRepresent posted...

ironically named Trameka Brown-Berry

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Is there something wrong with people being outraged over this? The way you worded this topic, it seems like you're trying to say Liberals are crybabies, but really it just makes you look incredibly ignorant.
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Lathissamus posted...

Is there something wrong with people being outraged over this? The way you worded this topic, it seems like you're trying to say Liberals are crybabies

This feels like projecting to me.
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UnfairRepresent posted...

Lathissamus posted...

Is there something wrong with people being outraged over this? The way you worded this topic, it seems like you're trying to say Liberals are crybabies

This feels like projecting to me.

Ah, something you're very familiar with.
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there are no good reasons for slavery. it's like saying there's good reasons for murder cause I get to kill you and take your stuff for myself
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Lathissamus posted...

Is there something wrong with people being outraged over this? The way you worded this topic, it seems like you're trying to say Liberals are crybabies, but really it just makes you look incredibly ignorant.

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Oh I didn't realize I had a disagreement with the legendary duckbear the other other day :o
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fenderbender321 posted...

It's just a mental exercise. It teaches kids that although sometimes humans do bad things, that there are often understandable reasons why.

slavery isnt one of these understandable things
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fenderbender321 posted...

It's just a mental exercise. It teaches kids that although sometimes humans do bad things, that there are often understandable reasons why.

It's incredibly inappropriate no matter what kind of "mental exercise" it was intended to be.
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Good reasons . . . I mean there are some psychopathic reason.

I don't think 4th graders are capable of having this level of philosophical discussion nor should they be indoctrinated on this level of moral relativism.
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There were no "good reasons" for slavery. if this teachers intention was for the kids to write in things like "farms got tended to", etc....that isn't a "Good" reason for SLAVERY. And I know people (like above) will now try to defend the assignment just that way....I'm not saying the teacher is a hateful person...just misguided and ignorant on the matter. You can't find "Good Reasons" for slavery.
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TheVipaGTS posted...

There were no "good reasons" for slavery. if this teachers intention was for the kids to write in things like "farms got tended to", etc....that isn't a "Good" reason for SLAVERY. And I know people (like above) will now try to defend the assignment just that way....I'm not saying the teacher is a hateful person...just misguided and ignorant on the matter. You can't find "Good Reasons" for slavery.

Exactly. But apparently, Libruhls gonna Libruhl
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That is pretty fucked up, especially for 4th graders.
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Kids should learn the rationale for why slavery existed, and it's not the Tumblr explanation of "racist evil white man want to oppress poor dark skin man!!"
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Phantom_Nook posted...

Why do teachers keep doing this shit?

Its a debate assignment. It is good to argue things like this so we have a better understanding of situations. I've had to do debate assignments for positions I did not agree with and it makes you really understand how the 'other side' felt what they did was right.
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Wow that is fucked up, there were no good reasons for slavery of any kind any time.
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MaverickXeo posted...

Phantom_Nook posted...

Why do teachers keep doing this shit?

Its a debate assignment. It is good to argue things like this so we have a better understanding of situations. I've had to do debate assignments for positions I did not agree with and it makes you really understand how the 'other side' felt what they did was right.

I've never seen a "list 3 reasons for why slavery was good" kind of assignment. Especially in 4th goddamn grade.
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Phantom_Nook posted...

Why do teachers keep doing this shit?

Because it's called teaching. Critical thinking.

Don't stick your head in the sand bad things happened and are still happening in some places. Ignoring or acting like it's taboo doesn't help a single thing or person.
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The Admiral posted...

Kids should learn the rationale for why slavery existed, and it's not the Tumblr explanation of "racist evil white man want to oppress poor dark skin man!!"

There is no rational reason to enslave anyone. Regardless of the thought process back then, children learning about it today shouldn't learn about it in that context. There is no rational or good reason for slavery. Period.
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HypnoCoosh posted...

Don't stick your head in the sand bad things happened and are still happening in some places. Ignoring or acting like it's taboo doesn't help a single thing or person.

they can learn that without brainstorming "good reasons" those bad things happened, you know...
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MaverickXeo posted...

Phantom_Nook posted...

Why do teachers keep doing this shit?

Its a debate assignment. It is good to argue things like this so we have a better understanding of situations. I've had to do debate assignments for positions I did not agree with and it makes you really understand how the 'other side' felt what they did was right.

I'm sorry but 4th graders aren't capable of debate beyond name calling.

HypnoCoosh posted...

Because it's called teaching. Critical thinking.

4th fucking grade.
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ThyCorndog posted...

there are no good reasons for slavery. it's like saying there's good reasons for murder cause I get to kill you and take your stuff for myself

well what you are saying is that there is utilitarian reasons but not humanitarian.
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"good" in quotes even. people are needlessly offended, they probably had a lecture about how slavery is bad but people did it anyways for certain reasons (i.e. profit) and the parent didn't hear that and assumed she should be mad.

mind you i agree that this is a very stupid way to list 3 things good or bad about something, it'd be like asking 3rd graders if abortion is good or bad
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if they meant the colonial kind of kidnapping from Africa and have them handpick sugar canes etc, it's all shit

however, had they gone with the pre-medieval kind, you could in theory make an argument.
it would still be like walking in a mine-field, but if you're good you could make it, i think
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Megaman50100 posted...

ThyCorndog posted...

there are no good reasons for slavery. it's like saying there's good reasons for murder cause I get to kill you and take your stuff for myself

well what you are saying is that there is utilitarian reasons but not humanitarian.

Real 4th grader subject here.
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ThyCorndog posted...

there are no good reasons for slavery. it's like saying there's good reasons for murder cause I get to kill you and take your stuff for myself

this
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It's never too young to learn there are no good reasons for slavery and that it has happened and is still happening.

Education is never a bad thing.
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TheVipaGTS posted...

Regardless of the thought process back then, children learning about it today shouldn't learn about it in that context.

Then how do you explain to kids why slavery existed? Yes, the point of history is to understand historical context.
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I don't know where they were when schools were telling us to piss on the Constitution.
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The Admiral posted...

TheVipaGTS posted...

Regardless of the thought process back then, children learning about it today shouldn't learn about it in that context.

Then how do you explain to kids why slavery existed? Yes, the point of history is to understand historical context.

in order to accomplish what they used slavery to accomplish...Slavery didn't need to exist...There was no "good reason" for it to exist.."they needed people to work the fields" is not a good reason for slavery. Slavery isn't something that we can teach was "once a good thing, historically"...you know that. you don't have to teach them "THEY WERE RACIST WHITE MEN" like you said above...no one is teaching them that. The people they used as slaves weren't chosen because they were the best workers and passed all the tests and interviews...they were chosen because they were viewed as less than human because of where they were from and the color of their skin. I'm sorry but there is absolutely no reason to try and sugar coat that.
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TheVipaGTS posted...

The Admiral posted...

TheVipaGTS posted...

Regardless of the thought process back then, children learning about it today shouldn't learn about it in that context.

Then how do you explain to kids why slavery existed? Yes, the point of history is to understand historical context.

in order to accomplish what they used slavery to accomplish...Slavery didn't need to exist...There was no "good reason" for it to exist.."they needed people to work the fields" is not a good reason for slavery. Slavery isn't something that we can teach was "once a good thing, historically"...you know that. you don't have to teach them "THEY WERE RACIST WHITE MEN" like you said above...no one is teaching them that. The people they used as slaves weren't chosen because they were the best workers and passed all the tests and interviews...they were chosen because they were viewed as less than human because of where they were from and the color of their skin. I'm sorry but there is absolutely no reason to try and sugar coat that.

I agree, it shouldn't be sugarcoated, and teaching kids that slaves (and indentured servants, BTW) were treated as less-than-human is relevant context.

But slaves weren't just used because people were evil, and kids should learn what the process was for why they were used, and ultimately why African slaves were used (versus, say, enslaving the Native Americans).
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ROBANN_88 posted...

if they meant the colonial kind of kidnapping from Africa and have them handpick sugar canes etc, it's all shit

however, had they gone with the pre-medieval kind, you could in theory make an argument.
it would still be like walking in a mine-field, but if you're good you could make it, i think

Well, to play the Devil's Advocate, the result of slavery is that their descendants enjoy a standard of living FAR in excess of what they would had they remained in western Africa. You have all these people screaming that African Americans are still suffering because of slavery... UHH, would they be better off in Ghana or Sierra Leone?
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It's a perfectly acceptable assignment, just not at that age. I had to write a ten page paper detailing all the beneficial things to come from slavery, as well as the negative things(basically five pages on each), but that was in... 11th grade I believe? But to ask that of eight or nine year olds, and expect them to understand the difference between "beneficial at the time" and "good" is just a wasted exercise and asking for trouble.
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The only way this would be an acceptable part of the assignment is if the teacher automatically deducted points for writing any reasons at all.

"Timmy didn't write any reasons why slavery was good. That is correct."
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I think if people actually understood the history of slavery in a more detailed manner they would form more mature opinions and be less emotional about the topic.
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Learning to see why people at that time would have excused it isn't bad itself.

Dunno if 4th graders are old enough for it though. ( not sure what age that is)
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This is a good critical thinking exercise, but it's not made for a 4th grade classroom.
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The Admiral posted...

kids should learn what the thought process was for why they were used, and ultimately why African slaves were used (versus, say, enslaving the Native Americans).

Care to enlighten us?
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The Admiral posted...

Kids should learn the rationale for why slavery existed, and it's not the Tumblr explanation of "racist evil white man want to oppress poor dark skin man!!"

Serious question is there any aspect of your personality and beliefs that is not wholly and unwaveringly repugnant
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k darkfire posted...

HypnoCoosh posted...

I think if people actually understood the history of slavery in a more detailed manner they would form more mature opinions and be less emotional about the topic.

Indeed. Slavery led to Blacks being free from poverty and led to a better life. Thats a plus. If it weren't for that then Obama (their messiah) would never have been born.

but if i call this a shitpost i'd get warned...
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