BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Bethlehem Area School District said it is investigating after sixth-grade students at Nitschmann Middle School received an “unacceptable” and “inappropriate” assignment that included prompts about slavery.
Superintendent Jack Silva said Monday the district is collecting information about the assignment and talking with people at the school about the situation.
“It’s really early,” Silva said. “I want to make sure we’re not getting too far ahead of ourselves here as far as what the investigation will reveal.”
Silva said the district is looking to resolve the matter in a way that is fair to everyone involved.
The district released a statement Friday night after a Nitschmann parent posted about the worksheet on Facebook, sparking outrage in the community.
“Our district is committed to anti-racism, and denounces hate speech in any form,” BASD's statement reads. “Steps are being taken to correct this error in judgment.”
Social media post sparks outrage, discussion
The image of the worksheet on Facebook showed the questions posed to students, including this one: “A slave stands before you. This slave has disrespected his master by telling him, ‘You are not my master!’ How will you punish this slave?”
Another question reads: “A man and a barber stand before you. The man is accused of tricking the barber into marking a slave for sale when it really was not for sale. It is taking you a long time to figure out if the man really did trick the barber, or if the barber marked the slave unknowingly. How would you rule in either case?”
The superintendent confirmed Monday that the worksheet posted on social media is the one that was assigned to Nitschmann students. It is not a part of BASD’s approved curriculum, he said.
The worksheet was about The Code of Hammurabi, one of the earliest legal codes from ancient Babylon. A similar assignment caused a stir in Wisconsin in 2021 and led to a lawsuit; the teachers involved there were put on administrative leave before later resigning.
“I want to make sure we’re not getting too far ahead of ourselves here as far as what the investigation will reveal.”Superintendent Jack Silva, Bethlehem Area School District
The Friday Facebook post about BASD’s assignment has since been removed by the parent, but Bethlehem Area School Board Director Winston Alozie responded to the post when it was first published, calling the assignment “crazy."
“The issue I take with this is putting the student in a position where they have to imagine how to punish a ‘slave,’” he wrote in a comment. “A more modern resource would word it so that students [would] ask [about Hammurabi’s Code] in a way that is more appropriate.”
Alozie, who is Black and who regularly advocates for equity in the district, told LehighValleyNews.com on Monday he was “taken aback” when he first saw the assignment online, and then he “did some digging to understand what the assignment was.”
Alozie said he hopes all parties involved can learn from the situation.
Supplemental materials, how race is handled in BASD
The superintendent said teachers generally use approved materials in class, but sometimes make professional decisions about using supplemental materials.
“We don’t have teachers simply holding up curriculum manuals and reading out of [it],” he said. “Teachers are professionals and have to make adjustments to their instruction based on what the needs of the students are.”
When asked about whether any disciplinary action is being taken against the teacher who assigned the worksheet, the superintendent said he cannot discuss personnel matters.
“I think the district is committed – our teachers especially – to us continuing to be a diverse and welcoming place."Winston Alozie, Bethlehem Area School Board member
Despite this assignment, Silva said he feels confident Bethlehem Area can handle issues regarding race. He said the district is known for providing professional development to staff about cultural literacy. Silva also noted BASD has an independent Office of Equity Initiatives.
Alozie added there’s “always room for healthy dialogue and healthy learning” as it relates to teachers being prepared to handle issues of race in the classroom.
“I think the district is committed – our teachers especially – to us continuing to be a diverse and welcoming place," he said.
Silva said supports are available for students and others in the school community who need them in regard to the assignment.
Esther Lee, president of the Bethlehem chapter of the NAACP, said Monday she has been in touch with district leadership about the assignment and is assessing the situation.
“It is not a first occurrence at Nitschmann [Middle] School in regard to not only racism, but the subjects as they’re metered out to students,” she said.
Lee also said she think’s Silva and his administration are being “fair about the issue.”
The parent who posted images of the assignment online later posted commending the district and Nitschmann for their “swift response and corrective action.”
LehighValleyNews.com reached out to the parent for comment.
