[Student starts reading]
Teacher: Wait, wait, wait, Jordan. Blacker, Jordan - c'mon. I thought you were Black.
[SBW Blog editor inserts Jordan's inner monologue, "C'mon Ms. Bart, I thought you were educated."]
Student: Excuse me?
Teacher: Come on, more Black!
Student: No.
Teacher: If you won't do it, I will.
[Teacher reads the passage in stereotypical slave dialect.]
Student: Do you think all Black people speak that way?
Teacher: Now, now, Jordan, don't speak out of turn. Take your seat.
--
Fourteen-year-old high school student, Jordan Shumate reported that his teacher, Marilyn Bart, recently told him to speak "Blacker" during the class' study of Langston Hughes. He was the only Black student in the class.
[This reminds me of Hollywood Shuffle's infamous "Could you be more Black?" scene. ]
The ninth grader told his mother about the encounter and she called the principal at the Fairfax County, VA school. Although the administration is investigating, Shumate reports that this is not an isolated incident.
He says Bart also singled him out when the class was studying the Holocaust by presenting a picture of grape soda as a racial stereotype and asked Shumate to explain the meaning to the class.
[Clearly, Bart must think Shumate is the 'Negro Ambassador' or something.]
Bart, has been teaching in the Fairfax school system for over 20 years and, if the allegations are true, I wonder how other students have felt sitting in her classroom over the years.
Here's her Linked In profile. Among her 'Skills and Expertise', she lists curriculum development, instructional design, and literacy. No where does she mention racial insensitivity.
Seriously, Bart - shut it down. Or find a new career. Students today have enough trouble with bullying already without additional problems from teachers.
Read more here and here.
