A Boston-area fifth-grade teacher who staged a fake slave auction and used a racial epithet while teaching has been placed on paid leave, the local school principal said.
Gregory L. Martineau, superintendent of Northborough and Southborough public schools, wrote a letter to parents Wednesday detailing the incidents and expressing his apologies.
The teacher at Margaret A. Neary Elementary School in Southborough, Mass., about 30 miles west of Boston, held a mock slave auction in January as part of a lesson history on the economy of the southern colonies, Martineau said.
As part of the impromptu auction, the educator made examples of two children of color who were at the front of the room, discussing attributes such as teeth and strength, the superintendent said.
Martineau said such teaching methods are unacceptable because they can traumatize black students and trivialize the horrors of slavery.
In April, the same teacher read and discussed a book that is not part of the school curriculum, the superintendent said, adding that the teacher used the N-word that Martineau said does not appear in the pages of the book.
The state teachers union did not immediately respond to a request for comment and the local union could not be reached.
Martineau said he became aware of the two incidents on April 24. A meeting including the teacher and the school principal was held in order to “be transparent with families and take responsibility for mistakes,” he said.
But the next day, the teacher, having apparently learned the identity of at least one of the students who complained about one of the two incidents, “challenged the student,” Martineau said.
He said targeting the student was “not acceptable.”
The teacher has been placed on leave and is subject to “due process” that could determine his status with the district, Martineau said. The school’s principal was placed on 10 days of paid leave in May, the principal said.
Sarah Alinović, a mother who plans to enroll her child in Southborough public schools, said she is concerned that similar incidents have occurred twice.
“If this is happening over and over again, then, you know, this should be resolved,” she told NBC Boston.
Rahsaan Hall, president of the Urban League of Eastern Massachusetts, told the station the incidents could be a learning moment for the school district.
“They should certainly be intentional and proactive in developing practices and engaging the community on these difficult topics,” Hall said.
The superintendent apologized to the teacher’s students and took responsibility for “missteps” in the district’s initial response.
“I apologize for the events that took place in Southborough Public Schools,” Martineau said. “I recognize that there have been missteps in this process that have further complicated the situation. Ultimately, I am responsible for ensuring that students are in safe and supportive learning environments.
A plan to ensure teachers are “culturally competent” is being developed and is expected to be implemented in the fall. he said.