Black School Official Punished 15 Hispanic Elementary School Students For Behavioral Problems
TRENTON (CBS/AP) ― State education officials say 15 Hispanic elementary students in Camden got inappropriate punishment, but not because of their ethnicity.
The investigation found a black vice principal forced students in a fifth grade bilingual class to eat their lunches while sitting on the gymnasium floor. The weeklong ‘lunch detention’ stemmed from behavioral problems in the class.
The report, released this week, found the punishment was demeaning and unsafe, but not biased since it was common for non-Hispanic students as well.
Parents and activists called the incident an example of prejudice against Hispanics, noting the Hispanic teacher who complained was fired. However, the investigation found his firing was merited by poor performance and lack of classroom control.
What kind of sensationalist crap is this? They had to sit on the gym floor to eat their lunch, think of the children! Haven’t you ever had a class outside, maybe under a shade tree. I can see it now, “Teacher forces children to eat on the dirt, outside, next to a tree!!!”
“The investigation found a black vice principal forced students in a fifth grade bilingual class to eat their lunches while sitting on the gymnasium floor.”
I must be having a blonde moment here but what is the significance in this teacher being black? Is this something that no white teacher would inflict on anyone or what?
I’d like to know what colour trousers he wears and hell, while we’re at it, does he wear glasses? Dang, I need to know if he was wearing comfortable shoes too!
Were they forced to eat chimichangas or collard greens?
At my school, most students *preferred* to eat on the floor rather then at the tables in the cafeteria. Then you didn’t have all the stupid lunch room rules to follow. As long as you didn’t cause trouble, no one bothered you.
In many cultures, eating at floor level is done every day! What’s the BFD?
Good black disciplinarians is what created many good black schools, even under segregation. Today, they’re mostly crap.
the punishment was demeaning and unsafe
Ahh… I am confused, did spread a hot lunch on the floor and tell them to lick it up, one did they just sit on a floor eating their sandwiches? It sounds like they were sitting on the floor eating sandwiches? How is that deeming and unsafe?
-Ben (who is slowly moving into the ‘bring back the strap’ school of discipline…)
…I think this demonstrates the level that minorities are willing to go to undermine the authority and principles that this country was originally founded on. Kudos to #5, in many eastern countries all activities are done at ground level. I also wonder what they would have preferred the punishment to be…perhaps expelled from the school system…backhanded for being rude…you get the idea.
“What kind of sensationalist crap is this? They had to sit on the gym floor to eat their lunch, think of the children! Haven’t you ever had a class outside, maybe under a shade tree. I can see it now, “Teacher forces children to eat on the dirt, outside, next to a tree!!!”
I can also see this story happening…of course it was a great day at my schools where you could go outside and eat…but I’m a redneck.
There’s more to this story – I live not too far from Camden and read the local news. The vice-principal was transferred to another school, keeping her $90,000 job. She had instructed the children not to tell their parents about the punishment. The children went to their bilingual instructor, who told them to tell their parents. He was fired. He, and the children, Hispanic. About eight years ago, a white teacher talked to a group of black students at Overbrook Highe School in Philadelphia, who had been using slurs about the visually impaired students who were being educated at that school. She told them, “It’s just like if someone called you n—–“. She was forced to retire. If you’re going to be extremely sensitive about racial issues, then be extremely sensitive about racial issues for all races, not just the one you happen to belong to. I’m just sayin’.
Lynn, sounds good, but the report “found the punishment was demeaning and unsafe”. Racial issues aside, what is demeaning and unsafe about sitting on a floor eating sandwiches?
Too be honest, if any teacher or principal or whatever said told students to keep secrets or lie to their parents, then fair enough to discipline them.
Its the unsafe and demeaning aspect of eating on the floor that I don’t get….
Hey being Hispanic myself i dont see anything wrong myself, Worst things happened back at my country, where most children dodnt even have an education. I once had a teacher who beat me up in front of the principal, and he congratulated her. My mom as well. its called though loved. eanting on the floor, pliz.
I think that if you’re a member of a minority group, being told to eat on the floor while others who are not a member of your minority group sit at tables could certainly be considered demeaning. I don’t think it’s abusive. Once, as a kid, when I was whining about some food I didn’t like, my dad had me eat it directly off the floor – no plate, no utensils. I don’t even think THAT was abusive. But it was demeaning.