Wisconsin teachers put on leave for an assignment asking how to ‘punish’ slaves

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Madison, Wisconsin teachers are on leave after creating an assignment asking students how to punish slaves appropriately.

Sixth-grade students at Patrick Marsh Middle School were studying the laws of King Hammurabi in ancient Mesopotamia when they were asked how they would “punish” a slave as an assignment.

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Dazarrea Ervins whose son attends the school said what made the assignment even more piercing is the fact it happened on the first day of Black History Month.

“I can see how they’re learning about this era, but the wording of the question and the statement—it was just wrong,” said Ervins per, NBC 15. She continued, “I was just shocked, I couldn’t believe what I was reading.”

Ervins took to Facebook to further express her outrage. She posted a photo of what appears to be the assignment, asking students, “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?”

Ervins took her concern to the school’s principal who acknowledged the incident in a statement. 

“We regret that this assignment was not racially conscious and did not align to our district’s mission and vision of equity,” said Principal Rebecca Zahn and Associate Principal Amy Schernecker.

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“We know that it caused harm to our students and their families. Our intent missed the mark, and for that we are deeply sorry. Going forward we will be sure to think critically about whether our intent matches our impact.”

Ervins’ son Zayvion said the assignment deeply troubled him.

“It made me think of how they would treat me if I was in-person, in class. What would they think of me, and would they treat me like I was an outsider and make me feel scared and unsafe?” shared the young boy.

The Sun Prairie Area School District placed the teachers on administrative leave, pending an investigation. They did issue an apology.

Ervins also reached out to the CEO of the Boys and Girls Club of Dane County, Michael Johnson who called the assignment “a lack of cultural competency.” 

“It’s a lack of training. There might be underlying issues that we don’t know about,” he added. 

This story comes on the heels of a Michigan teacher issuing a similar assignment back in December. As previously reported by theGrio.

A Detroit mother is concerned and upset after her daughter’s 7th-grade teacher thought it was appropriate to ask students the best way to discipline slaves, per WXYZ News.

“I never want my daughter to feel that way again, the way she felt this morning,” said Jaala Holt, the girl’s mother.

“It was weird and uncomfortable,” said 7^th grader Jade of Frost Middle School in Livonia in regards to how she felt about her course work to the outlet.  

“I read the question and typed my answer,” Jade said. “It was there will be no punishment because I do not believe in slavery.”

The question 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?”

The school issued a statement obtained by 7 Action News which read:

“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.”

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