News
Teacher Suspended For Showing History of Blackface Video During Jim Crow Discussion
.
Reported by Kacie Whaley
A teacher at Monroe Middle School in Michigan was suspended for showing his students a video about the history of blackface. According to Monroe News, Alan Barron wanted to show his eighth-grade class some of the realities of the Jim Crow South, since his class was currently covering the era. He put on a video showing how white entertainers used to paint their faces to imitate black people, but before the video was over, the assistant principal ordered that he turn it off.
According to the town’s local newspaper, the assistant principal viewed the video about blackface to be racist and offensive.
The school district’s spokesman offered a statement about the suspension. “Mr. Barron has been on leave for about a week while we look into a reported situation in his classroom,” he explained. “Because this is a personnel matter that is going through the teacher-contract required steps, we cannot comment any further.”
Parents and students alike were devastated by the news, insisting that Barron was a great teacher and that his actions were not racist.
“It had nothing to do with racism,” said Adrienne Aaron, the parent of a student in Barron’s class. “History is history. We need to educate our kids to see how far we’ve come in America. How is that racism?” Aaron added that her daughter, who has a black father, was not offended by the video.
Barron was planning to retire in two weeks. Since he is on suspension, he will not be able to attend certain school functions, such as an upcoming banquet that is honoring him and a few other teachers.
The town of Monroe was also in the news in March, when a high school band teacher was suspended for duct-taping a student’s ankles to a chair to improve her posture when playing her instrument.
Do you think the school went too far by suspending Barron?
Regina
June 1, 2020 at 10:22 pm
Yes the school went way too far. I am so sick and tired of political correctness and the forcing “HIS”STORY down our children’s throat. What we need to do is to start a petition drive to make it illegal for black parents who homeschool from paying school taxes.
If the schools are not willing to teach our children the truth, then we stop paying $$$$$$$$$ to the school districts and start pulling our children out of these devil schools.
Andrea
June 2, 2020 at 10:38 am
How is teaching the truth RACIST. It is what it is is. Tell the real story; the facts
TAS
June 2, 2020 at 10:44 am
AMEN to all of the above…..
J. D. Hill
June 2, 2020 at 1:57 pm
I’m on the side of the teacher! Parents, students, colleagues, and community leaders need to have their own banquet for this teacher who needs to find a good lawyer and sue the sox off the school for a sum that sweetens his retirement even more.
Yes, the banquet can go on, . . . unofficially! There has to be a parent who can organize and pull one together!
one.com promo codes
July 8, 2020 at 9:53 pm
Hi, Neat post. There’s an issue along with your site in web explorer, could
test this? IE nonetheless is the market chief and a huge
component of other people will omit your wonderful
writing because of this problem.
Pingback: Teacher Suspended For Showing History of Blackface Video During Jim Crow Discussion | Kacie's Writing