Marianna teacher ‘told students what ‘CHANGE’ stood for’
Greg Howard
Published: October 2, 2008
Updated: October 13, 2008
The Jackson County School Board has taken action against a teacher who apparently made racial commentary on presidential candidate Barack Obama.
According to parents and students in Greg Howard’s seventh-grade social studies class, Howard on Friday, Sept. 26 asked the class a question regarding Obama’s call for change, and proceeded to write out what the letters C-H-A-N-G-E stood for.
“She told me that he wrote on the board ‘Can You Help A (expletive) Get Elected, and then laughed about it,” said Shelia Christian, a mother of one of Howard’s students.
Jackson County Superintendent Danny Sims said that description of this incident was “pretty accurate.”
Sims said Howard apparently repeated the action in more than one class, having made the comment in “a couple of periods.”
According to a news release from the school board, Howard was suspended with pay on Monday, Sept. 29.
On Wednesday Howard was given a written reprimand regarding his actions, and those actions will be reported to the Florida Department of Education Office of Professional Practices, according to the school board.
As of Thursday, he was suspended without pay for 10 days, was relieved of his football coaching duties, and will be transferred to the Jackson County Adult Education program, according to JCSB.
Howard is also required to submit a letter of apology to the students involved, and is required to attend diversity and sensitivity training, the school board reported.
Sims said Howard’s racial commentary was not directed at any students, but were directed at a political party.
“We’ve handled this swiftly and we’ve handled it with a concern that we’re not going to tolerate it and this is a pretty stiff (action). The situation is behind us and we’re ready to move forward,” said Sims.
“My daughter came home very upset after that happened. When you’re in school teaching our kids, you’re supposed to be teaching them what’s right by the law, not what’s right in your opinion. This is not the stone ages. We don’t come through the back door anymore. I raise my kids to be respectful and they should be led by example,” said Christian.
Advertisement
Reader Reactions
Surely they wouldn’t lynch this poor misguided teacher?
Seems like lynching was reserved for other races.
Marianna has a fairly recent history in that regard. Go look at the oak tree in front of the courthouse.
Amazing, B.O. goes to a church for 20 years that is the black equivalent of the KKK and nobody cares. Now they are ready to lynch this teacher for using the “N word”. The double standard is ridiculous.
Actually the N stands for neofascist.
a. Totally inappropriate comment, hopefully Greg Howard won’t set foot in a classroom again.
b. I love it when those who are trying to state obvious untruths as fact can’t even get the spelling right. For the record Bonnie, I doubt Obama ever mentioned anything having to do with a “muslin” school (unless it was home-ec) because muslin is a type of fabric. And those of you who find it necessary to always use his middle name - your attention to detail is astonishing, obviously everything you write must be correct.
For those who are not aware, you can go on the Department of Educations website and check on teachers. You can pull up teachers by name or county and see if and what type of discipinary actions that have ever been taken against them. The website is: http://www.myfloridateacher.com/discipline/summary.aspx
I think the right call was to suspend the teacher with pay. A complete investigation needs to be done and subsquent and appropriate punishment administered. I’m not sure termination is warranted. Does this teacher have a questionable track record? Previous reprimands or suspensions?
The real phenomenon worthy of discussing is why do so many (seems espically true among educators) jeopardize their careers and livelihoods? There are endless reports like this incident..teacher-student sexual intimacy..not stepping in to prevent hazings ..ignoring student-student bullying. Loss of moral identity? No clear leadership? Accountability?
I am positive that Mr. Howard did not come up with this phrase on his own. I received this same message via text message on my cell phone a couple of months ago. It also contained a message regarding PALIN. I do agree that it was very unprofessional of him to put this on the board for his students to view.
As a black woman, I take offense to this teachers comment. However it has nothing to do with his race,or mine. No TEACHER needs to be putting ideas, or reinforcing those kind of ideas into childrens heads. The use of The “N” word is unexceptable, especially to children who are still young in their development. We trust these individuals with the raising of our children (at least most parents leave it to the schools) and I for one, do not want my children to come home one day using that word. Furthermore, Obama is the closet thing to progress we have seen in 8 years. Isn’t it about time we all stop being scared and realize that maybe, just maybe we can be proud of what America stands for in our World community?
OBAMA/BIDEN for CHANGE
Nojesus4u-In response to your comment, I totally agree. Had they been discussing an Eddie Murphy joke,or say Chris Rock standup comment (both of which are funny btw)the white person complaining would have probably been looked at like they were crazy. This whole thing has been blown out of proportion. More of the kids in the class need to voice their opinions on the situation. I see where one individual wrote they were joking and cutting up when all this happened. It’s usually the adults who have the hissy-fits anyway.
here’s my question. Did he say “Ni**er” or “Ni**a” if he said ni**a i dont see a problem. i don’t by the bs that only black folk can say it. If i can buy a cd or movie where that word is said in a friendly, non hateful fashion then i am being taught the word is ok right? Tell me i cant say a word because the color of my skin, then i say its time to implement segregation in the country. People are always going to hate. Tired of people crying over a word. Ask yourself this, if that had been a black teacher making a joke about white peoples ability to dance, would it be on the news?
I find it amusing but sad, that the newspapers and this blog feel the need to censor out a word. Go Go asterisk lol.
Bonnie,
Have you heard of the Reverend Wright Scandal? The guy who said “G-D America”? You surely must have. The reason he was on Obama’s campaign, and subsequently got Obama in trouble by association, is that Obama’s family had been attending their CHRISTIAN CHURCH for 20-odd years. How can you not be aware of this, and still think he is a Muslim? Even IF you believe he just went there to placate his wife, WHERE is the evidence he was registered with or going to a mosque for the past 20 years? Where is the evidence he has been raising his children as Muslims, as required by Islam? ASSUMING he WAS a Muslim and not going to mosque or raising his children as Muslims- then for all intents and purposes, it would seem to argue that he was not very religious- at which point the entire issue becomes moot anyway, don’t you think?
Advertisement