Gwinnett Teacher Resigns Amid Slavery Homework Controversy

Gwinnett County school officials say a teacher has resigned following the controversy of over a homework assignment that included references to slavery.

Gwinnett County School District spokesperson Sloan Roach says the teacher tued in the resignation during the course of the investigation. She says the investigation involving four teachers at Beaver Ridge Elementary School was concluded on Tuesday.

Earlier in January, some parents had complained of the homework assignment issued to third graders.

One question asked, ”Each tree had 56 oranges. If eight slaves pick them equally, then how much would each slave pick? Another question asked, ”If Frederick got two beatings per day, how many beatings did he get in one week? Two weeks?" A third question in the assignment asked how many baskets of cotton Frederick filled.

One teacher from the school came up with the questions as part of a cross-curriculum activity. Roach said the third graders had just read a book on slavery in social studies, so the math questions were written to reinforce the history lesson, said Roach. Another teacher made photocopies of the question and they were sent home with four classes, Roach said.

Roach says because the resignation was a school personnel matter, the school district will not "elaborate further."

She says the school principal will seek to fill the vacancy.