LILBURN, Ga.,None — First it was references to slavery in math homework. Now some parents are claiming kids were playing insensitive games about slavery in the school yard.
One Georgia education specialist said it's a reminder about the need for continued teacher training.
"I was shocked," parent Charvia Rivers said.
Rivers said she was outraged after her children described a game of tag they played during recess at Camp Creek Elementary in Lilburn.
"That it was a game where slave catchers catch slaves," Rivers child told Channel 2 Action News.
The children said their teacher set it up.
The Gwinnett County District denied teacher involvement in the incident.
The district sent Channel 2 Action News a statement saying, "The district determined that the activity was student-initiated and that allegations regarding the teacher's involvement were unfounded."
But, two weeks ago, a teacher resigned from Beaver Ridge Elementary in Norcross after writing now infamous slavery math problems.
One referred to slaves picking cotton, the other beatings.
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The district then said it was the teacher's effort to implement cross-curriculum teaching.
"No, it's not new and it can be a very good thing," said Tim Callahan with the Professional Association of Georgia Educators.
He told Channel 2's Kerry Kavanaugh the method reinforces what students are learning across all subjects.
But, he said teachers should be trained on the right way to do it.
"We have to be very sensitive to multi-cultural issues, sensitive to lifestyles the children may have, their languages," Callahan said.
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He said Georgia's universities require diversity classes for education students. But, he said it shouldn't end there.
"We need to follow up on it when young men and women get in our classrooms," Callahan said.
The Gwinnett School District told Channel 2 Action News teachers would be getting additional diversity training at Camp Creek Elementary.
Channel 2 asked to talk to the district about the training for cross-curriculum training as well. The district had not responded to our request as of yet.
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