TX teachers mock special ed students with ‘ghetto awards’, insist they didn’t mean to degrade anyone

A Texas school district has launched an investigation into two middle school teachers’ years-long practice of distributing “Ghetto Awards” to children receiving special education services, a CBS affiliate reports.

A 14-year-old Sulphur Springs Middle School student came home from school this week with a certificate that read “8th Annual Ghetto Classroom Awards” on top. The document stated the boy had specifically earned a “huh?” award this year for expressing so much confusion in class. Teachers had handed the certificates out to a classroom of students receiving supportive services for learning disabilities.

The child’s mother, Jerrika Wilkins, tells Fox 4 she “felt angry and a bit confused as to what was meant by ‘ghetto’,” when her son showed her the certificate his teachers had given him. “He feels pretty inferior,” Wilkins says of her son’s emotional reaction. “You know, he wants to succeed. You know, [the “ghetto” award] just kind of hurt his feelings.” Wilkins posted a picture of the document to Facebook.

Wilkins’ social media post caused a stir in the community, and quickly caught the attention of Michael Lamb, superintendent of Sulphur Springs Independent School District. Lamb describes his reaction to learning about the “Ghetto Awards” middle school teachers were mockingly bestowing on students.


http://www.rawstory.com/2015/06/tx-teachers-mock-special-ed-students-with-ghetto-awards-insist-they-didnt-mean-to-degrade-anyone/