why multiple parents have expressed concern about racist incidents in West Orange's public primary, middle and high schools. They detailed various issues in the Board of Education's public comments section on May 23 and called for changes in their allegations of racism. The first parent acknowledged the previous Asia-Pacific American Heritage Month presentation and said: Last month, African-American parents were angry when a teacher tried to give her daughter a cotton-picking lesson. He also expressed his frustration, explaining that "I had children in elementary, junior high and high school and had been working on racism in the school system for too long." To have my daughter`s teacher give her a lesson on picking cotton and for you to say we addressed it and say she would never do it again, it`s just symbolic and systemic of what`s been going on in West Orange for forever.” Besides that incident, the parent mentioned the principal of Redwood Elementary School having a Trump sticker on their car, and the viceprincipal of Liberty Middle School threatening to call the police on his daughter for having a “dirty look.” Later, the parent commented on West Orange`s diversity in comparison to its leadership`s lack of diversity. He finished by highlighting “microaggressions and racism”, saying, “I`m sick of [of these traumatic events]. The most egregious overt act of racism since I`ve been here was when my son was called the Nword back in 2008 when he went to Edison Elementary School.” He also called out the school`s handling of the incident, pointing out his son faced an inschool suspension for calling the girl a loser in response to her calling him the Nword. Another West Orange resident complained about the lack of information in relation to the incident. She had contacted the superintendent, principal of the high school and other administrators, but never received a response. Residents wanted to talk to the teacher who manages the curriculum. Also, high school teacher Robin Sweeney wanted to make sure that he "did not teach American history or other lessons" because of an incident related to cotton lessons. Choose. Robin Sweeney did not respond when TAPinto tried to contact her. West Orange High School teachers, coaches, and his parents, Jason Jackson, also brought up the incident that his children experienced as African-American students. Jackson talked about how Liberty Middle School 8th graders are discriminated against in science and health classes. Jackson met with a school counselor to tackle this issue, but he called it the "worst meeting ever." Jackson said, "He was embarrassed as a parent, resident, and teacher because he was sitting opposite another educator here to change the lives of these students. The words and comments that came out of her mouth
In response to the comments, interim supervisor C. Lauren Shane promised to investigate the case. To conclude the meeting, Shane thanked his parents for their comments and said: We can bring it in advance, and I will look at them personally. The comments are heartfelt and you never want to offend your child, they need to feel special. Our job is to make them feel that way, and we don't do that. "
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