I would....

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Home : 2002 : April : 7

I would....
By ShelbyLynne

I teach in a 99% African American school. I am a white teacher and have seen racism first hand by several parents in the school. One parent even told me, "Well, to be honest, he doesn't respect you because you are white!"
I almost fell through the floor. I had another student tell me her grandmother said "White people are all mean and evil."
I teach my children that we should all get along, regardless of skin color. I'm sad to hear that a parent had the nerve to say or even think something like that. I would do exactly what Cathy Dee said, and just stand by it. There is no way I would pull the

book just to make that parent happy. Especially because then that student will feel that his/her mom was right. I don't even think I would address the lady about it. I would just continue to read the book with the students and if she came to me again, I would say "I'm sorry you don't agree, but this book is an important part of our curriculum and we strive to expose students to multicultural literature." What would she have said if you sent home "Sadako" (the book about the Japanese girl during the bombing of Hiroshima? I wonder if she would have liked that or had something to say. It's a shame that she wants her son to grow up in a bubble. I'm sorry to have rambled so much. This is my first year of teaching and I really can't believe some parents. It's sad, and it just makes our job that much harder. Good luck and keep us posted!