As the Clarksville Montgomery County community geared up to celebration the national holiday recognizing Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Racism has reared its ugly head at a Clarksville elementary school last week.
A history teacher at Ringgold elementary school instructed her students to play a game she called “The Slave Master Game” this role playing game has the students who were white playing the slave masters and the black students playing the role of the slaves.
Mrs. Lettie Kendall a teacher at Ringgold elementary school and a Montgomery County Commissioner for over 34 years, has received reports that now some white students have told some black teachers that they do not have to listen to them because they are the masters and the blacks are the slaves, and that some of the white students became upset when they were told that some would have to play the role of an abolitionist.
This was immediately taken to the principal of the school who along with the teacher stated that they saw nothing wrong with this game. They saw it as a history lesson and confirmed that this has been in practice for over 3 years at Ringgold Elementary.
Black teachers at this school became more alarmed when they had to witness emails from other teachers and the principal asking the staff and faculty to support this teacher and her curriculum choice.
This forced Mrs. Kendall accompanied by Rev. Jerry Jerkins to take this complaint to the Clarksville Montgomery County Director of schools, Michael Harris and CMCSS Director of Communications Mrs. Elise Shelton. To date either have publicly given the schools systems position on this issue but sources state that the students who was just following the instructions of the teacher was made to apologize to other students.
An action like this continues to leave an ugly stain on our community and is a slap in the face of all the work accomplished by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and others. Many have stated in celebrations all over the world that “His Work is Still Unfinished” and apparently this statement is true!
Cc:
Rev. Jerry Jerkins, Civil Rights Activist (931) 552-6589 Home (931) 220-1522 cell
Jimmie Garland, Sr., President Clarksville NAACP (931) 216-6745 or 270-798-2221
Terry McMoore, Director Urban Resource Center (931) 552-9076 or 931-378-1999
