How would you feel as a parent to learn that your child witnessed the firing of his/her teacher in the middle of class? Well that’s exactly what happened at Howard University Middle School of Mathematics and Science. And it get worse. The reason behind the firings? The social studies teachers were fired because they were teaching the students African American history. According to parents, after the school’s three social studies teachers gave their two weeks’ notice last week, the new principal, Angelicque Blackmon, gave them all pink slips on Tuesday during class and in front of students.
Yesterday, disgruntled parents accompanied their children to school in an effort to get answers. Parents are particularly upset about the effect the classroom firings had on the students.
While students are still present in the classroom? How unprofessional. These children are crying. They said they couldn’t say goodbye. The teachers are upset, the students are upset, said parent Delrica Battle.
They were given to them in front of our children and I think that our children do not deserve to see that type of behavior, says parent Michelle Payne.
Kameron Gaines-Gillens, a 7th grader at the school, gave his take on the situation.
They were all escorted out by police officers, because they were trying to teach us things about our African heritage.
So who’s to blame? The parents say Principal Blackmon and the school’s administration.
The school administration does not want the social studies teachers to teach African-American history,” said parent Shannon Settle. “We are on the campus of an HBCU [Historically Black Colleges and Universities]. We need to know our culture; the school is 90-percent African American.
It is rumored that Principal Blackmon had adopted Montgomery County Public Schools’ curriculum and does not want teachers talking about things like Kwanzaa and the late Marion Barry. The problem is unlike Montgomery County Public Schools’ the student population at Howard University Middle School of Mathematics and Science is 94% African American. So she wants to teach her students about the heritage of others but not their own? There would have to be a change in the curriculum to incorporate the history of the mostly African American student body or my child would be withdrawn. But that’s just me…thoughts?
