After several parents expressed outrage over an Upstate New York school’s homework assignment, its administrators have issued an apology.
Sixth graders at Mill Middle School in the Williamsville Central School District received an assignment obtained by CNN from their Spanish class. They had to translate sentences from English into Spanish.
One of the sentences they had to translate was one saying: “You (friendly) are Mexican and ugly,” and another on the same worksheet that read, “You (politely) are pretty and American.”
“Shocked at this Spanish homework assignment in Williamsville Central School District loaded with such blatant racism,” Allison Wainick, a school district parent, said on Twitter. “Can we even begin to unpack all that is wrong here? Who is developing this curriculum & where is the oversight?”
In a statement posted to their official Facebook page, the school district admitted that the assignment created by the teacher was “unacceptable.”
“We are addressing the situation to ensure this does not happen again. The District does not condone any instructional material that denigrates our students, families, culture, or beliefs,” the statement read. “This assignment fails to meet our standard and will be dealt with appropriately.”
The Williamsville Central School District is located on the outskirts of Buffalo.
The teacher’s identity hasn’t been identified or the potential consequences they may face. However, Nick Filipowski, the school district communications director, told CNN that they would not make a statement on the incident.
“I’m extremely disappointed with Mill Middle for letting the disgusting and inexcusable language such as this to be presented in the classroom,” Wainick’s husband, Marcelo Florencio, told The Buffalo News. “I believe there is no place for it in school or our children’s lives.”
“I, personally, don’t feel this Spanish teacher — or anyone who approves of this kind of curriculum content — has any place in WCSD or elsewhere,” Florencio said, adding that the assignment showed a “blatant lack of ethnic sensitivity and bias.”
Other parents expressed concern in messages posted on the school district’s Facebook page.
“As a Latina whose children attend Mill and Williamsville I am in complete shock,” one mother wrote.
Another Hispanic mother also showed disagreement with the assignment.
“This is completely unacceptable,” she said. “There must be serious consequences. An apology from the District is not enough, this is not something that children can forget.”
Shocked at this Spanish homework assignment in Williamsville Central School District loaded with such blatant racism. Can we even begin to unpack all that is wrong here? Who is developing this curriculum & where is the oversight?@SheriRodman @karenvaites @Remarsh76 @GholdyM pic.twitter.com/wO8sjU5fkv
— Allison Wainick (@AJ_WFlo) January 11, 2022
Discover more from Baller Alert
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
