Rebecca Thompson

Ch. 2&3 Assignment

EDU 210
February 4, 2019
Racism in Classrooms

Ann Griffin, a white teacher at a predominantly black high school, stated that she “hated

all black folks” to two of the administrators who are African American. These two administrators

are named Freddie Watts and Jimmy Brothers. Due to her outburst, other teachers responded

negatively. These teachers are both white and African American. Watts, who is the principal of

this high school decided to dismiss Griffin. He did this because he was afraid that she had been

treating African Americans poorly due to her personal feelings.

Dayanna Volitich, a white middle school social studies teacher, posted a vlog about her

racist views and how she incorporates them into her classroom. Volitich went by the name

“Tiana Dalichov” in her vlogs. It has been documented from her vlog that she has been trying to

teach her students about white supremacy. “But Volitich, under her alter ego “Tiana Dalichov,”

is said to have bragged about sliding racist views into her lesson plans — and that might be her

downfall” (Kirby, 1). During the investigation, the school district decided it would be best to

remove Volitich from her classroom. It has been said that the school is in favor of victory with

this case due to her inappropriate ways of teaching and speech. This case relates back to the Ann

Griffin one because the teacher is at fault with the discrimination towards her African American

students just like Griffin with her choice words towards the two African American

administrators.

Patricia Cummings, a social studies teacher at a school located in the Bronx was

reprimanded for her ways of teaching students about slavery. Cummings decided that when she

was teaching about slavery, she would physically harm her African American students. At first,
she picked them to come to the front of the class and lie on the floor. Then she decided to step on

the backs of her students and ask them how it felt to be a slave. This is completely inappropriate

and racist. “Cummings taught the lesson multiple times at Middle School 118” (Judge, 1).

During the investigation, she was removed from her class. I agree with her being pulled because

she was harming her students. She worked at a school that was composed of mainly African

Americans, and white students had the lowest population. Cummings has been fired from this

school and the investigation is still ongoing. I hope the school wins and she gets what she

deserves.

John Everhart, a white teacher at a Prince George County was fired due to him being

white. This was a school that was a majority of African American students and staff. Due to this,

he felt the principal, Angelique Simpson-Marcus, who is also African American, had called him

all sorts of racial slurs. According to Everhart, “She called me ‘poor white trash’ and ‘white

b----” (Wiggins, 1). This is astounding that a principal would say something along these lines to

a teacher, based on the color of their skin. John Everhart ended up coming out on top with this

case, and it can relate back to the Ann Griffin case because of the racist and negative comments.

However, I don’t believe this supports the Ann Griffin case because the school was in the wrong

here and not the teacher.

Andrea Bryan, who is an African American at a school in Long Island claims that she has

been harassed at her place of work many times. This case is similar to the John Everhart case due

to the teachers being the ones who are getting discriminated. The difference between these two

cases is that John Everhart was a white teacher at an African American school and Andrea Bryan

is an African American teacher who works at a mainly white school. Bryan says she has been

their only black teacher for the past 17 years, and that they “did their best to keep the workplace
for whites only” (Boniello, 1). That type of thinking from other teachers and the school board is

disgusting to me. I don’t want to even think of the African American teachers who have applied

for jobs and been rejected due to the color of their skin. Bryan has also been ignored by her

coworkers during meetings and even students. This case hasn’t had an outcome yet but I hope

she wins this.

I believe that the school was in the right for letting Ann Griffin go due to her

discrimination towards other students. If she were to continue as a teacher at that school, she

could possibly treat her African American students different from her white students. Racism is

never okay, especially when it comes to students. They deserve to be treated and graded due to

their performance and not on their color.

Citations:
Boniello, K., & Boniello, K. (2018, December 30). Black teacher claims LI school district
ignored rampant racism. Retrieved from https://nypost.com/2018/12/29/black-teacher-claims-li-
school-district-ignored-rampant-racism/.
Judge, M., & Judge, M. (2018, September 29). White Social Studies Teacher Fired For Teaching
a Racist Slavery Lesson Wants to Sue for Reverse Racism. Retrieved from
https://www.theroot.com/white-social-studies-teacher-fired-for-teaching-a-racis-1829413457
Kirby, J. (2018, March 06). A Florida teacher's racist podcast was uncovered. Can she argue it
was free speech? Retrieved from https://www.vox.com/2018/3/5/17081500/dayanna-volitich-
florida-teacher-podcast-white-nationalism-free-speech
Wiggins, O. (2014, August 08). White teacher wins $350,000 in Prince George's schools bias
lawsuit. Retrieved from https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/jury-awards-former-
prince-georges-county-teacher-350000-over-retaliation-claim/2014/08/08/6e2d50f6-1e73-11e4-
82f9-2cd6fa8da5c4_story.html?utm_term=.49236b7d5f47