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.
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Reader Reactions
Thanks Mr Howard for making all the rest of us white people look as stupid as you!
To all my fellow black Jackson countians: please don’t judge us by the actions of people like him. And, to Danny Sims if all you felt he deserved is a slap on the wrist then it’s good you were defeated in the last election! It’s time for both of you to head to the house.
Mr. Howard,
It is said that so does a man thinkest, so is he. Are you really this twisted up, hateful inside? That’s really a pity.
What a coward you were and what a missed oportunity to teach History. Did it ever occur to you ,that you may have been talking to a President someday, in those 7th graders? I like others ,am a Taxpayer in this town, how dare you use my facility to spew such Hate. How sad that you chose the classroom to show such biased opinions. There is no doubt that you have done/said things like this before and luckily gotten away with it, however, this should notify you that LUCK does run out. I understand you are a church-going person. I hope so because when you go by that Bronzed-colored God, perhaps your color will be taken into consideration. We really should give Peace a chance and try to Love one another.
I have been reading the comments many people are making concerning the teacher and his lesson on “CHANGE”. It is expected that some people will step up and defend Mr. Howard because these folk believe that they are not directly affected by his comments. However, I would like everyone to keep in mind that Mr. Howard has an unbelievable responsibility as an educator and his “lesson” affects all of us either directly or indirectly. To use that word to refer to people of color while teaching a classroom full of impressionable students is EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. Teachers have the power to help shape and mold the minds of many people and to be as careless and insensitive as Mr. Howard has been is very terrifying especially for this day and age. I believe that teachers have one of THE MOST IMPORTANT professions in the universe and to just simply, say he made “a judgment error” is really not okay.
Teachers are the most influential people besides (parents) that our children come in contact with on a daily basis. For Mr. Howard to do what he is a ccused of is most distrubing. This leads me to believe that this was not the first time something like this has happened with him. I say that because for someone to say what he did had to feel awfully comfortable doing so. I hope that he realizes what CHANGE really mean since this incident? If not maybe I can help him. Can-Howard-Agree-Nothing-Goes-Easily as planned!!!
First of all let me be as clear as possible. As adults we have the right to say and do whetever we feel is neccesary. However, I have a young son and why he hears out of my mouth is a reflection of me as a parent. I don’t care what context it was said it should have never been said. It doesn’t matter who says it a white person or a black person, we know as people it is a hateful word and why would we want our children to grow up thinking it is okay to offend someone. When the day comes where we as parents and teachers start acting as we are all Gods people is the day this world will be a better place. I am sure he is a great teacher and a great person, but frankly he should be ashamed.
I just can’t imagine what Greg Howard was thinking. It’s one thing to forward a joke like that to his racist buddies’ emails, but another thing entirely to tell that same joke MULTIPLE TIMES to a classroom full of seventh-graders.
I also can’t imagine how Mr. Sims considers the punishment in this case appropriate. Immediate termination is the only acceptable response here. Mr. Sims, I have voted for you in the past, but you really fell down on this one.
To the world, and the Internet as a whole, I formally apologize to you on behalf of my beloved hometown. We’re not all as ignorant and bigoted as this article makes us out to be. There’s actually some of us here whose bedsheets don’t have eyeholes, and we’re truly sorry that guys like Howard share our great town.
LOOKEY MOM I FIGGURED OUT WHAT THAT THERE CAPS LOCK IS FER.
I’M NOT FEELING ENOUGH OUTRAGE HERE I GUESS TO DO THIS UP PROPER WE NEED TO GET AL SHARPTON AND OLE’ JESSIE INVOLVED.
Diversity and sensitivity training should happen not just when issues like these are exposed, the training should be a requirement for all JCS employees. These types of comments by anyone black, white, brown is a sign of that individuals intelligence. Comments all these are made when there is a level of comfort has been reached, thank GOD that the children went home and exposed Mr. Horward for the bigot that he is, these children are being exposed to things that breed hate and it has to STOP! I also the JCSB members crazy if they think that one diversity and sensitivity training , a letter of apology and resignment of Mr. Howard is the answer. People school broad members are elected. Ask yourself this question is this what you want representing you? Do we want these individuals hiring teachers like Mr. Howard teaching our children? I don’t. A word to the wise “ History forgotten is history repeated. “ Children live what they learn and things like this in a classroom where the citizens pay tax will not be tolerated. Do something more JCSB members do it for the children CHANGE it begins with you!!
I AM A GRADUATE OF A JACKSON COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL. I ALWAYS KNEW THAT THERE WAS PREJUDICE IN THIS COUNTY, BUT I NEVER EXPERIENCED IT. MR. HOWARD WAS VERY WRONG FOR MAKING THAT COMMENT. HE SHOULD HAVE KEPT HIS PERSONAL OPINIONS OUT OF THE CLASSROOM! YES SOME AFRICAN-AMERICANS USE THIS WORD AMONG THEMSELVES, BUT TO THEM IT’S OK! WRONG!! I AS AN AMERICAN-AMERICAN YOUNG LADY, I THINK THAT IT IS WRONG FOR THE N-WORD TO BE USED AT ALL. NO ONE SHOULD SAY IT AT ALL, BUT THIS IS LIFE AND THIS WORD IS STILL ALIVE! I WAS OFFENDED BECAUSE THIS ISN’T HIS FIRST RACIAL SLUR. WHY IS IT HE CAN SAY WHAT HE WANTS AND NOTHING IS DONE TO HIM? DOES IT COME FROM LACK OF EDUCATION WITHIN THE COMMUNITY OR WHAT? I HAVE SISTERS WHO ATTEND MIDDLE AND SCHOOLS IN JACKSON COUNTY. I KNOW IF THEY WERE TO GO HOME AND TELL OUR MOTHER, SHE WOULD CALL PEOPLE SHE KNEW IN HIGHER PLACES! I RECEIVED MY BACHELOR AND MASTER DEGREE FROM F.S.U. I DO KNOW PEOPLE AND I WILL DISCUSS THIS ISSUE WITH THEM. I’M REALLY NOT MAD AT HIM. I FEEL SORRY FOR HIM. HE MAY BE A NICE PERSON I DON’T KNOW! BUT WHAT I DO KNOW IS THAT HE WILL BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR HIS PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE ACTIONS! I WILL CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR EQUALITY IN THIS WORLD!
Marianna’s young adults, white and black, deserve better than this.
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