School Looking Into 'Runaway Slave' Assignment

PORT CHESTER, NY — School officials in Port Chester are calling a post that appeared on Facebook citing an extra credit assignment for some of the district’s middle school students "disturbing,” “offensive” and “inappropriate.” In an email sent to the Port Chester parents and community, Superintendent Edward A Kliszus said the post was brought to his attention Friday.

“The assignment was related to a unit of curriculum on American slavery and asked students to create a ‘runaway slave’ advertisement,” Kliszus said.

“This ad was to mimic original 19th-century ads that posted a reward, described the escaped slave(s) and provided contact information for the slave owner to include the southern state in which he/she is located,” he said.

The exercise was in follow-up to an examination of slavery, the Civil War, reconstruction and American society leading up to the 1964 Civil Rights Act.

Kliszus said the district considers the assignment offensive and inappropriate on many levels, and an investigation was started Friday morning into the incident.

Attorneys are being involved to ensure all means to best address the issue are explored.

“I pledge that the district shall take appropriate action to ensure not only that this type of situation does not reoccur, but also, that all of our staff thoroughly understands the gross impropriety of the assignment,” Kliszus said.

“We believe firmly that we can discuss the tragedies of American slavery, the Civil War and civil rights in ways that comport rather with the highest orders of human dignity,” he said.

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