Slave Trade in the classroom: Creativity or Bust?
While a teacher was absent from a NJ elementary school, the substitute teacher continued the lesson plan with a huge FAIL! Or did she?? An African American fifth grader was sold in an auction by white students in her class. This was a mock slave trade. Allegedly, cash only posters were hung up. Whoa! Needless to say, parents are fuming. This story opens my mind to the great educational drbate, W. E. Dubois vs. Booker T. Washington". Booker T. Washington was born a slave but became a very prominent historical educator. He founded the Tuskeegee Institute to educate teachers. Washington believed blacks should accept discrimination, work hard and gain material prosperity. On the other hand, W. E. Dubois, decorated sociologist and civil rights activist, disagreed with Mr. Washington. Dubois is a founding officer of the NAACP. He believed change would come thru education. In othe...