SLAVE AUCTION CONTROVERSY/APOLOGY AT SCHOOL BOARD MEETING

The recent slave auction lesson controversy, which saw students at one school drawing posters and those at another engaging in a mock auction, was center stage at Monday night's school board meeting as Superintendent John Ramos offered an apology and several residents spoke out against the incidents.

Ramos opened the meeting with a lengthy statement that was part apology and part explanation for the events that came to light last week:

You recall the issue first arose last week when fifth-grade students at South Mountain School made slave auction posters, which were then posted around the school as part of a lesson. 

Days later it was revealed that one fifth grade class at Jefferson School had taken it upon themselves to hold a mock slave auction when their teacher was absent and a substitute in charge. Jefferson Principal Kim Hutchinson on Monday sent a letter home to parents indicating she was concerned that some of those students displayed a "jovial" and even "comedic" attitude toward the event.

At Monday night's meeting both board members and residents spoke out with different views of the situation, with some saying students need to learn the worst of our history, although admitting it might have been handled differently.

See those below: