A fifth-grade teacher at Oak Pointe Elementary School in Irma, South Carolina was suspended for assigning students homework that asked them to summarize the historic arguments that were used in support of slavery during the era of the Civil War.
Both parents and students of Oak Pointe Elementary were unable to wrap their head around the simple assignment, and interpreted it as the teacher openly advocating for the return of slavery. Having either not read or understood the assignment –or, more likely, simply looking to gain some notoriety for stirring up race hysteria – the parent (yes, the adult parent) took to social media to hysterically complain.
The so-called “controversy” started when Kerri Roberts of Oak Pointe Elementary School asked her class to summarize how the early KKK justified their treatment of African-Americans. The assignment also asked the students to summarize the thoughts of recently freed slaves of the exact same era.
The homework assignment prompts students, “You are a freedman. Are you satisfied with your new life? Why or why not?” This is followed by another prompt which reads, “You are a member of the KKK. Why do you think your treatment of African-Americans is justified?”
Spastically reacting all-caps, Tremain Cooper – an uncle of a black student in Roberts’ class- took to social media;
“CHECK IT OUT FAMILY. CHECK IT OUT FAMILY. I NEED YALL TO HELP ME. THIS IS MY LITTLE 10 YEAR OLD NEPHEW’S HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT today. HE’S HOME CRYING RIGHT NOW. THE TEACHER’S NAME IS KERRI ROBERTS AT OAKPOINT ELEMENTARY IN DISTRICT 5 IN IRMO, SC right outside of my hometown of Columbia, S.C. HOW CAN SHE ASK A 5TH GRADER TO JUSTIFY THE ACTIONS OF THE KKK??? WE ARE CONTACTING EVERYBODY FROM THE SCHOOL TO THE MEDIA. PLEASE HELP. PLEASE SHARE #KerriRoberts #OakpointElementary #District5 #IrmoSC”
As the racial firestorm spread across social media, word reached the school, which was forced to suspend Kerri Roberts – all because a spastic parent was unable to understand a simple elementary school history assignment.
On Friday, Cooper took to social media once again in a long screed, bragging about the incredible success of his racial hysteria;
“UPDATE FAMILY. UPDATE FAMILY. Yall are incredible. First off thank you. Thank you. Thank you for supporting us in this situation. The issue has made it to 103.9fm right now. The teacher is under investigation and is on administrative leave until the investigation is complete.”
Cooper concluded that the mere presence of white people was inherently to blame – and that the only solution was special treatment for African Americans. “Oakpoint is a predominantly white school with mostly white faculty and staff, maybe this will lead to more black inclusion. It’s only right.”
“The teacher has been placed on administrative leave as part of our standard personnel investigation procedures,” the school district said in a statement released to the local news channel. Refreshingly, the school went on to clarify, “South Carolina standards for 5th grade require lessons on Reconstruction and discriminatory groups including the KKK.” However,
the statement continued. “We must teach the standard, but we are taking steps to ensure this particular assignment will never be used again in District Five schools. We understand the seriousness of this matter particularly in light of the events taking place in our country at this time.”