© Rawstory
'Ghetto award'
'Ghetto award'
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.
"Shocked. Shocked. Truly, it goes in layers," Lamb says. "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 superintendent adds, "It's my understanding the same award was given last year to up to 60 kids."
Comment: As supposed teachers, they should have known. The lack of empathy and insight into how these 'awards' would effect the children is just another sign of the degrading, ponerized education system.
The empathy gap in bullying