Atlanta parents angry over math homework referencing slavery

Atlanta, GA — What looked like a routine third‑grade math worksheet quickly sparked outrage after parents discovered word problems referencing slavery and physical abuse. Many said they were stunned that such language appeared in their children’s homework.

One problem read: “Each tree had 56 oranges. If 8 slaves pick them equally, then how much would each slave pick?”

Another asked: “If Frederick got two beatings per day, how many beatings did he get in 1 week?”

Several parents said the assignment forced them into painful conversations with their young children about slavery and violence.

Parents Demand Answers

Parents contacted Beaver Ridge Elementary administrators, who said teachers were attempting to connect math lessons to recent classroom readings about Frederick Douglass. District officials later acknowledged the questions were inappropriate.

“We understand that there are concerns about these questions and we agree that these questions were not appropriate,” said a spokesperson for Gwinnett County Public Schools, reports GPS.

The district destroyed the worksheets and began reviewing how the assignment was created. Officials confirmed that four teachers were involved in distributing the worksheet, and one resigned during the investigation.

Community Reaction and Calls for Accountability

Many parents said the district’s response did not go far enough. Several expressed frustration that the assignment reached students at all and said the incident left children confused and upset.

The Georgia NAACP called for all educators involved to be fired, arguing that the assignment reflected a deeper failure in judgment and cultural awareness.

District Response and Next Steps

District officials said they are reviewing staff training and cross‑curricular guidelines to prevent similar incidents. They also noted that the worksheet did not undergo the required review process before being distributed.

Although the district pledged to work with teachers on better instructional practices, many parents said they want stronger assurances that culturally insensitive material will never reach students again.