Schools
Children Portray Slaves During Lesson on Civil War at Wheaton Elementary School
The lesson plan has been getting mixed reviews from local parents.
The parent of a 9-year-old girl who attends Lincoln Elementary in Wheaton said fourth graders were learning about the Civil War right before spring break. He said some of the students "were made to pretend to be slaves" as part of the lesson plan. ... He said if the students pretending to be slaves were caught, "instead of being whipped, they were made to dance in front of the class."
Community Unit School District 200 said in an e-mailed statement to NBC Chicago they have not heard any complaints from parents but would work "aggressively to seek more information" once school was back in session following spring break.
Meanwhile, some parents are saying there was nothing wrong with the lesson. As of Tuesday afternoon, 36 people had signed a change.org petition in support of the teacher and staff at Lincoln Elementary School and blasting NBC Chicago on its coverage of the Civil War lesson.
Wheaton Patch Facebook followers have also been sounding off on the coverage:
"Still not sure what is causing the anger," wrote one parent on the Wheaton Patch Facebook page. "We have black history month and Martin Luther King day to remember where we came from. Why is it wrong to teach the kids in a way they can understand and learn and see how horrible it was."
This is the second time in recent weeks the portrayal of slavery by suburban students has caused a stir. In February, Barrington High School officials apologized after a skit that depicted a slave auction offended some attending a convention on Greek and Roman culture, the Chicago Tribune reports. The skit showed a student, who was portraying a slave, in chains and being sold.
>>> Mock Slave Auction Skit by Barrington High Students Outrages Some at Weekend Convention
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