Texas Middle School Teachers Under Fire for Handing Out ‘Ghetto Awards’
CBS46 News
Two teachers at Sulphur Springs Middle School in Sulphur Springs, TX are in hot water after passing out year-end "Ghetto Classroom Awards", something that has apparently been going on for nearly a decade.
Teachers Stephanie Garner and Tim Couch, who is also a local pastor, came under scruitiny after a student brought home a certificate for the "8th Annual Ghetto Classroom Awards", specifically the "huh?" award. The student in question was given the award because he said "huh?" a lot in class. Unfortunately, that's because he is learning disabled. The boy's mother, Jerrika Wilson, said that her son was very hurt by the joke,
He feels pretty inferior. You know, he want to succeed. You know, it just kind of hurt his feelings.
Both teachers have apologized, with Stephanie Garner even offering to resign as a result. Wilson's family has accepted the apology, but the school's Superintendent is still angered by the situation.
Truly, it goes in layers… You kind of ask yourself, had anything else been used, the ‘teacher’s name’ award, would it start to seem more acceptable. The “huh?” award just begs questions. And then the 8th annual brings questions too.
The awards were signed by both teachers, but also the school's principal, who claimed to have not actually signed them and had no knowledge of the awards.
via Addicting Info