Where one teacher’s Black History Month classroom example went horribly wrong at Pittsburgh school

PITTSBURGH — One mother tells Channel 11 she wants more inclusive lesson plans after a teacher’s classroom plan involving Black History Month, soul food and “slave food” went horribly wrong.

“The teacher had brought in collard greens and cornbread for them to eat,” said Tanika White, a parent of seventh grader at Brookline PreK – 8.

White continued by explaining the teacher told her student, “She wanted them to eat or experience slave food,” said White.

On Valentine’s Day, a substitute teacher brought in a meal for students: collard greens, cornbread and a bottle of hot sauce.

“Collard greens and cornbread are not ‘slave food,’” said White.

But White said, explaining to a confused seventh grader the difference between soul food, a cultural celebration, and slave food is difficult.

“When my son came home that day, I had just made a pot of greens on Sunday. He threw them in the garbage,” said White.

Offended by the school lesson plan, she took to Facebook, where her post garnered more than 200 shares and attracted the attention of the school’s principal.

Here is part of the response:

“It has come to our attention that an unauthorized activity held in your child’s class does not meet our expectations,” said Principal John Vater.

Vater continued, “While we must celebrate Black History Month, we must do so in a way that validates and affirms the cultural identities of our students.”

“The approach taken was to focus on stereotypes, microaggressions, prejudice that exists,” said Dr. Anthony Kane, director of the Center for Excellence in Diversity and Student Inclusion Duquesne University.

Kane said educators have a huge impact, and racial incidents like this can be traumatic.

“All parties involved have to have a critical conversation about what went wrong,” said Kane.

White agrees and says this is should be a teachable moment.

“I hate that when you hear Black History, the sole thing that you hear about is slavery; we’ve come so far from that,” said White.

Regarding the incident, Pittsburgh Public Schools did confirm the substitute teacher has been placed on paid administrative leave.

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