Black Spokane twins say they were humiliated by middle school lesson asking them to clean cotton [View all]
In their eighth-grade social studies class at Sacajawea Middle School, twins Emzayia and Zyeshauwne Feazell couldn't believe what was happening. Their teacher said the class was going to do a "fun activity," Emzayia recalls. Then the teacher brought out some freshly picked cotton for the entire class.
"When she gave it to us, I was like, 'This is not right,'" Emzayia tells the Inlander.
All of the students were asked to clean cotton as part of an assignment on May 3. Spokane Public Schools spokesperson Sandra Jarrard says the lesson was about the Industrial Revolution and discussed the cotton gin, but the school district has refused to offer any more information about the lesson. She says a third party is conducting an investigation into the incident.
The 14-year-old twin girls, meanwhile, say they felt alienated and humiliated. They were two of three Black students in the entire class, and they say they were uncomfortable by other students making remarks that they couldn't believe Black people had to clean cotton as slaves.
The controversy comes at a time when Spokane Public Schools is working on its "equity policy," stemming from a racial equity resolution passed last year by the school board.
Read more: https://www.inlander.com/spokane/black-spokane-twins-say-they-were-humiliated-by-middle-school-lesson-asking-them-to-clean-cotton/Content?oid=21778801
= new reply since forum marked as read