Sensitivity and good sense suggest this is a bad question for seventh-graders: "How will you punish this slave?”
The suburban middle school on Stark Road. (Photo: Google Maps)
Yet it was part of a social studies lesson at Frost Middle School in Livonia, where a student and her mother complained. They explain why to Simon Shaykhet of WXYZ:
“It was weird and uncomfortable,” says Jade Holt. She tells us her course on the history of slavery included a question that read: "A slave stands before you. This slave has disrespected his master by telling him you are not my master. How will you punish this slave?"
"I read the question and typed my answer. It was there will be no punishment because I do not believe in slavery," says Jade.
Her parent, 35-year-old Jaala Holt, calls the question "inappropriate" and "asinine." A district representative tells the station:
"We have reviewed a social studies assignment given to three classes of our seventh-grade students. We recognize the assignment in question was not constructed appropriately, as we believe in the importance of approaching topics of slavery in any era of world history with the utmost care and consideration."
