I think this is a gross overreaction!
We have come to the point in this country that we can’t have an honest conversation about racism because the PC thought police is more concerned about offending anybody.
I think this teacher meant no malice toward anyone and was simply engaging her students to our history.
But, I’m wondering if the fact that the KKK was started by Democrats was ever acknowledged in the class art all.
From The Dahlonega Nugget.com:
A Lumpkin County High School history teacher was placed on administrative leave after she allowed a group of students to don homemade Ku Klux Klan costumes during an assignment on the history of racism in the United States.
The actions of Catherine Ariemma were met with stern disapproval by superintendent Dewey Moye Monday afternoon.
"We cannot allow that type of judgement and will not sanction it even though they were studying a part of history," he said.
Ariemma, herself, said she made a mistake.
"Unfortunately, I made a bad call," she said. "It would have saved some hurt and some students would not have felt threatened if I had made a different call. I'm very sorry. It was never my intention to make anyone feel uncomfortable."
The topic ignited a media firestorm Monday afternoon as the story hit the Web and quickly spread across the country. Moye said he has been hit with a deluge of phone calls from media outlets across the region.
The trouble initially began last Thursday when a group of Ariemma's Advanced Placement students planned to make a film involving the KKK. The students made their own robes in class, out of sheets. They also used SpongeBob SquarePants party hats covered with cloth for the head pieces.
Ariemma said the high schoolers were actually poking fun at the KKK in their assignment.
When students asked if they could film a scene outside the school, Ariemma said she decided to accompany them through the hallway in order to explain any misunderstanding.
"I said 'I don't think you need to be walking through the hall by yourself like that,'" she said.
The costumes could not be easily removed, said Ariemma, so the hoods stayed on.
What the teacher had reportedly not accounted for, was the fact that lunch was still in session.
"Unfortunately it was during lunch time so Mrs. Ariemma had walked them through the commons area," said Principal Tracy Sanford.
Ariemma said she thought about turning back, but once they had been spotted by students she figured it was best to keep walking.
"[My students] felt silly, first of all," said Ariemma. "Nobody wants to be associated with the Klan. We were walking as quickly as possible."
The brief appearance of four robed and hooded figures caused a commotion in the cafeteria as several students became upset and angry. Some became angrier than others.
"We had one student that was really agitated," said Sanford. "One of his coaches grabbed him, intervened and said 'This is a class project.'"
Rumors of Klansman in the classroom quickly spread throughout the school hallways as no school-wide announcement was made to clarify the issue.
The matter prompted Moye to call an emergency Board of Education session for Monday morning.
During the closed door session, the board discussed the possible disciplinary actions that could be taken against Ariemma.
"There's going to be some consequences," said Moye. "We haven't decide what it is going to be yet. It was extremely poor judgement and in no way does the school system sanction this kind of display. I am talking to our board attorney and some type of consequence will be forthcoming."
In the meantime, Moye placed Ariemma on administrative leave with pay. He has also called an additional emergency Board of Education for 5 p.m. Tuesday afternoon. It has since been cancelled, according to school officials. A new date has not been set.
Moye added that Ariemma, a former Star Teacher, has never had been involved in any type of disciplinary issue in her six year career at LCHS.
"She's top drawer," he said. "And there was no intent here to cause any type of disruption of any way. It was just studying. They were studying and it was part of the class."
Ariemma said that she still stands by the assignment. In fact, when her students proposed cutting the Klan scene out of their video, she encouraged them to leave it.
"I said 'You know what? No. You have a good topic,'" she said. "It's unfortunate that in this county we don't discuss racism very much. When we don't discuss it we condone it. And so I do discuss it."
Via The Dahlonega Nugget
Via Memeorandum
The Last Tradition
We have come to the point in this country that we can’t have an honest conversation about racism because the PC thought police is more concerned about offending anybody.
I think this teacher meant no malice toward anyone and was simply engaging her students to our history.
But, I’m wondering if the fact that the KKK was started by Democrats was ever acknowledged in the class art all.
From The Dahlonega Nugget.com:
A Lumpkin County High School history teacher was placed on administrative leave after she allowed a group of students to don homemade Ku Klux Klan costumes during an assignment on the history of racism in the United States.
The actions of Catherine Ariemma were met with stern disapproval by superintendent Dewey Moye Monday afternoon.
"We cannot allow that type of judgement and will not sanction it even though they were studying a part of history," he said.
Ariemma, herself, said she made a mistake.
"Unfortunately, I made a bad call," she said. "It would have saved some hurt and some students would not have felt threatened if I had made a different call. I'm very sorry. It was never my intention to make anyone feel uncomfortable."
The topic ignited a media firestorm Monday afternoon as the story hit the Web and quickly spread across the country. Moye said he has been hit with a deluge of phone calls from media outlets across the region.
The trouble initially began last Thursday when a group of Ariemma's Advanced Placement students planned to make a film involving the KKK. The students made their own robes in class, out of sheets. They also used SpongeBob SquarePants party hats covered with cloth for the head pieces.
Ariemma said the high schoolers were actually poking fun at the KKK in their assignment.
When students asked if they could film a scene outside the school, Ariemma said she decided to accompany them through the hallway in order to explain any misunderstanding.
"I said 'I don't think you need to be walking through the hall by yourself like that,'" she said.
The costumes could not be easily removed, said Ariemma, so the hoods stayed on.
What the teacher had reportedly not accounted for, was the fact that lunch was still in session.
"Unfortunately it was during lunch time so Mrs. Ariemma had walked them through the commons area," said Principal Tracy Sanford.
Ariemma said she thought about turning back, but once they had been spotted by students she figured it was best to keep walking.
"[My students] felt silly, first of all," said Ariemma. "Nobody wants to be associated with the Klan. We were walking as quickly as possible."
The brief appearance of four robed and hooded figures caused a commotion in the cafeteria as several students became upset and angry. Some became angrier than others.
"We had one student that was really agitated," said Sanford. "One of his coaches grabbed him, intervened and said 'This is a class project.'"
Rumors of Klansman in the classroom quickly spread throughout the school hallways as no school-wide announcement was made to clarify the issue.
The matter prompted Moye to call an emergency Board of Education session for Monday morning.
During the closed door session, the board discussed the possible disciplinary actions that could be taken against Ariemma.
"There's going to be some consequences," said Moye. "We haven't decide what it is going to be yet. It was extremely poor judgement and in no way does the school system sanction this kind of display. I am talking to our board attorney and some type of consequence will be forthcoming."
In the meantime, Moye placed Ariemma on administrative leave with pay. He has also called an additional emergency Board of Education for 5 p.m. Tuesday afternoon. It has since been cancelled, according to school officials. A new date has not been set.
Moye added that Ariemma, a former Star Teacher, has never had been involved in any type of disciplinary issue in her six year career at LCHS.
"She's top drawer," he said. "And there was no intent here to cause any type of disruption of any way. It was just studying. They were studying and it was part of the class."
Ariemma said that she still stands by the assignment. In fact, when her students proposed cutting the Klan scene out of their video, she encouraged them to leave it.
"I said 'You know what? No. You have a good topic,'" she said. "It's unfortunate that in this county we don't discuss racism very much. When we don't discuss it we condone it. And so I do discuss it."
Via The Dahlonega Nugget
Via Memeorandum
The Last Tradition
