Probe Into Florida Teacher's Privilege Quiz Continues

TAMPA, FL — An investigation into an unorthodox assignment handed out by a Monroe Middle School teacher last week continues as outrage over the questions posed continues.

Yoselis Ramos, a first-year Spanish teacher, reportedly wanted to challenge students to consider their personal level of privilege. To that end, she handed out a form titled “How much privilege do you have?” That form asked kids to circle terms under such categories as “religion,” “sex,” “gender,” “sexual orientation” and “disability.” With identifying labels, such as “genderqueer,” “asexual,” and “pansexual” to choose from, the form raised more than a few eyebrows in the classroom and among parents after the assignment was shared by kids at home. Children were also asked to self-identity as “abled,” “mentally disabled” or “physically disabled.”

“If your child came home and told you that their teacher game them this to fill out, what would you do,” parent Regina Stiles asked on Facebook. She also posted a photo of the quiz.

Stiles’ post has since been shared more than 450 times.

What parents did was pick up the phone to call the school and complain about the assignment.

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“Ms. Ramos has been pulled from the classroom while the district investigates,” Hillsborough County Schools spokeswoman Tanya Arja told Patch. As of Wednesday, the district’s probe into the April 4 assignment had not been completed, Arja said.

Parent complaints also prompted a recorded phone call home to parents from Principal Peter Megara.

As for the form, it wasn’t district approved, Arja said.

“We expect our teachers to create a safe learning environment for all of our students,” she said. “This assignment could put students in an uncomfortable position. This was not an approved district form and this assignment was given without principal approval.”

Ramos reportedly did not collect the forms from students. The exercise was tied to a lesson in inequality, several media outlets have reported.

It remains unclear how soon the district will complete its investigation and what action Ramos might face once it does. Ramos is a former news reporter for WUSF-FM.

Image via Shutterstock