A Model Afro-American

FrankR

[FrankR]

I was informed today that my fifth-grader Granddaughter has an unusual homework assignment, in keeping with Black History Month...make a model of an Afro-American.

Yep, they are to take modeling clay, or a similar medium, and make a "model" of an Afro-American.

This opens a couple of questions:

1. If the model is not absolutely perfect, and one feature or another is not proportional, etc., will she be given a bad grade for "stereotyping"?

2. Will Black parents be brought in to file racism charges if the "models" are not perfect?

And finally...

3. Will the class have an assignment to make a model "Irishman" on St. Patricks day?...or a Mexican on Senco di mayo?

[perfect stranger]

You should be asking these questions to the principal, and teacher Monday morning.

[billorites]

On the other hand, give your kid's teachers some room to work.

[Betty Jane]

Have her do a model of a white South Afican, or Zimbabwean.

Make the teacher explain how a white immigrant from Africa is not an African American

[perfect stranger]

Give the teacher room to work on what?

[Bogey78O]

Help her make it as offensive as possible. Then when they ask you why did you stereotype black people ask them "Oh? You mean you wanted us to stereotype black people in a positive way?"

[Fintan]

3. Will the class have an assignment to make a model "Irishman" on St. Patricks day?...

 

Just have her give me a holler.

 

[arly]

You should have her do a model of OJ with a knife in his hand.

[Uncle Meat]

Or have her do one of Michael Jackson.That'd confuse the hell out of them."That's not a black man,well maybe it is.No can't be,could be,nah,no way.That's it.You flunk kid".

[yooper]

What a dumb assignment. Sorry, no racism intended here, but of what worth is this project? How will it educate a student and prepare them for college?

This teacher gets a thumbs down from me.....

[Pukka Puck]

"Give the teacher room to work on what?"

Her PC brain washing techniques. She has the kids in a Catch 22.

[netmilsmom]

Can anyone ping the Black Conservative list? Is this right?

[Arpege92]

Al Sharpton, Jesse Jackson or how about Tawana Brawley? They are African Americans but they are far from role models. If you are in a real jam, I suggest you do a clay model of our first African American president....Bill Clinton.

[Arkinsaw]

I don't see the problem. She can model the Tuskeegee Airmen with a great big US flag and a P-51D. Works for me.

[Think free or die]

This is a tough time of year. Our 4th grader son came home with a book report assignment last week. Since February is Black History Month, and March is Women's History Month, he has the choice of reading a biography of a woman or an African-American, and then presenting the report in front of the class dressed as the object of the biography. You can imagine not many 4th grade boys would willingly portray women in front of their classmates. Fortunately, the teacher will accept a few symbolic props rather than full costumes. It still doesn't sit well with us. At this point, the boys seem to know more about Martin Luther King Jr than about George Washington or Thomas Jefferson. That pains me.

[small_l_libertarian]

I think the only safe thing your daughter can do is to make her model of an instantly recognizable figure, or something like the Tuskeegee Airmen, as was suggested before.

That way, she can't be accused of stereotyping, if the person or people actually do look a certain way.

[luckystarmom]

Our 5th grade neighbor has the same book report assignment, but she has to make a life-sized poster of the subject.

I gave her some suggestions, and she liked the one of Shirley Temple. She didn't know that Shirley Temple became an ambassador when she grew up.

She's also a good conservative woman.

[perfect stranger]

Exactly. This sounds like a liberal teacher if I ever heard of one.

[Arkinsaw]

This is a tough time of year. Our 4th grader son came home with a book report assignment last week. Since February is Black History Month, and March is Women's History Month, he has the choice of reading a biography of a woman or an African-American, and then presenting the report in front of the class dressed as the object of the biography.

I fail to see how thats a problem. I would have no problem with my son portraying one of the Tuskeegee Airmen or Justice Clarence Thomas or a Union soldier or Dorie Miller (of Pearl Harbor). I must admit that having segregated history bothers me, but just the concept of celebrating black Americans, or portraying them, shouldn't be an issue alone. Is it?

[Fire_on_High]

Ping.