You have every right to talk to the teacher about it. However, you also need to know what information your state guidelines have set in place that your son’s grade. As a teacher myself, I know we have a very firm focus that we must follow. How we get the information across is up to our personal presentation style, but we have to follow the curriculum guidelines outlined by the state. If she is following the guidelines, but you don’t like her approach, then that would be the main focus of your conference… not trying to change what she is teaching, but how she is teaching. If she is in fact not teaching what the guidelines tell her to, then you have the right to address both her presentation of the material and the material itself. Either way, please do your best to come across as concerned, not accusing or you’ll put her on the defense and neither one of you will get anywhere. Best of luck to you and your son!

Do you have enough information to do a talk on it? How about asking the teacher if you can come in and give your son’s class a presentation on modern slavery? It will be educational for your son to work on it with you and help you put it together. There are some excellent new books out on slavery happening in the world right now, such as “Ending Slavery” by Kevin Bales. Point this out to the teacher, and tell her this is a topic of personal interest to you, and that you would like the opportunity to address your son’s class on this issue.

First of all, I think “confronting” your son’s teacher is a bad choice. There are many factors that come in to play here that need to be addressed in a civilized manner. Most importantly…

1. She may have a set curriculum that she in not allowed to deviate from.

2. She may not be aware that the students are making these kinds of comments to each other.

3. She may have every intention to talk about other instances of slavery, but began with American history of enslaving Africans.

Why don’t you make an appointment to talk to her? First express your concerns politely, then bring up your documentation and ask if any of these things will be taught in class. Maybe you could do a guest lecture about it.

Good luck!

i wouldn’t blame it on the teacher. the stuff that they have to teach to the kids IS based mostly on black slaves. The teachers have to tell the children because it’s probably a state standard or something. I think you should talk to the teacher about the black kids who have made your son feel bad. History is history, and there’s no way history should affect how your son feels at school. (btw im trying not to sound racist, if this offends anyone, i apologize)

Ok, she’s a social studies teacher. you need to think about it like this…she is teaching HISTORY. NOT slavery. HISTORY. so, what grade is your child in? is it 7th or 8th? i’m guessing your child is in middle school, and this teacher is supposed to teach american history leading up to the civl war, or perhaps through the civil war.

so, your child’s teacher is not teaching slavery, she is responsible for teaching a specific time period in american history. i know of no curriculum which requires it’s SS teacher to teach american history including the bible, since america did not exist during the time which you are referring.

your child’s teacher cannot, and does not have time, to go all the way back to biblical times, because she is supposed to teach american history, and part of that history is slavery.

it’s not the teacher’s responsibility to make white children feel less guilty. that’s something that you can talk about with your child at home…his emotional response to what he’s learning.

and as far as the black kids…you know kids, you have one. sometimes they say stupid things. sometimes they don’t understand their own heritage, or how the world works, or the idea that doing the same thing in reverse is NOT solving the problem. so just explain to your son that an “eye for an eye” is not healthy, and that we need to work out our problems with slavery, not perpetuate them.

as for confronting the teacher…i wouldn’t. i can’t see how this is going to make you look good. what are you going to say? “i don’t want my white child to feel guilty for slavery.” you’re going to end up looking like a bigot, and the teacher will go on teaching this topic, because that’s what she is required to do.

As a teacher this is my recommendation, go to the teacher explain your feelings. Don’t go in trying to make the teacher feel dumb, or that you are better than them. If it is US history they have to teach slavery but they shouldn’t make anyone feel bad about being white.

The most important thing is your approach. Please don’t come in hostile or accusing. Instead, begin by letting her know about your concerns about the peer comments being made to your son. Come in with an open mind and be willing to hear her point of view. If you enter this meeting with an agenda, then both of you will leave frustrated and annoyed with each other. If you enter ready to hear the other story and work out a compromise, you’ll both leave happy.

This is a very delicate situation. I would just tell her how the students are reacting to her teaching. She may not be aware of what she is doing. If she is teaching American history, it was black slavery. You could ask her to mention other types, but it will be her decision.

You can teach your son whatever you want. You have no say over the curriculum. I in fact have no say over the curriculum either. Curriculum is set by the school district and the state. State standards say quite a bit about how specifically this is to be taught. If you want to argue indentured servants vs.slavery – best to approach the school board.

good luck with that.

The “fact” is the US has a history of slavery, and that history is what is being taught in your sons class, so of course it is going to deal with the African slave trade. Many countries have had slaves of different ethnicity’s throughout history, but references to the Bible should not be included in a History course.

I stand corrected – I did some research into your assertions and found them to be true! What ignorance on my part, and I consider myself to be fairly intelligent but I have no excuse for not knowing this. I always thought “white-slaves” was a 19th – 20th century invention to refer to white girls/women sold into prostitution. I did not realize that whites were used as slaves, and that their children were born into slavery! Thanks for the information – and yes, you need to bring this up to the teacher and to the school board! Good luck.