Ex-US teacher apologizes for slavery math lesson
Jan 20, 2012, 2:50 AM
LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. (AP) – The suburban Atlanta teacher who resigned after an investigation found students were given math homework with word problems about slavery has apologized.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (
http://bit.ly/weP3jZ) reports that former Beaver Ridge Elementary School teacher Luis Rivera says in a statement to school officials that he did not write the homework to be malicious or offensive.
Rivera says: “I have brought shame to my family and my school. For that, I cannot apologize enough.” He resigned Jan. 13.
One problem read: “Each tree has 56 oranges. If eight slaves pick them equally, then how much would each slave pick?” Another was: “If Frederick got two beatings each day, how many beatings did he get in one week?”
Three other teachers who used the homework were ordered to follow school rules.
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