Teacher apologizes for 'poorly written questions' about slavery in math homework

The elementary school teacher who resigned amid controversy over math homework problems referencing slavery wrote a letter to school officials saying he "cannot apologize enough."

Luis Rivera was a third-grade teacher at Beaver Ridge Elementary School since 2008.

Channel 2 Action News reporter Kerry Kavanaugh obtained Rivera’s personnel file through an open records request. It includes several past glowing reviews. It also revealed that Rivera had been a member of the Black History committee.

This is more fallout after third-grade students received math homework with word problems with slave references.

The Gwinnett County School district then said the teacher was  incorporating students’ social studies curriculum into the math. 

• Teacher in math homework controversy resigns

One word problem asked how many oranges would each slave pick. In another, Frederick was picking cotton. Students were even asked to calculate how many beatings Frederick would get in a week.

The students had been learning about Frederick Douglass, a one-time slave turned abolitionist.

According to the school board investigation, Rivera offered his resignation about one week into the investigation.

"The assignment was not reviewed by any teacher before or after distribution," the investigation report said.

Three other teachers handed out the homework assignment created by Rivera. all three have letters of reprimand on file, but remain on the job.

Rivera’s personnel file also included a copy of his resignation letter. As part of the investigation, Rivera wrote a letter detailing an explanation for the questions. That letter ended with an apology.

“I apologize for any negative feelings I have brought to my family, my colleagues, my school and my district. I did not write those questions with the intent of being malicious or offensive. I wrote poorly written questions in an attempt to enhance student achievement,” Rivera wrote. “I have brought shame to my family and my school. For that I cannot apologize enough."