Student Humiliated by Mock Slave Auction at Ohio School

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=wfEiAr8d-7o

According to The Root, 10-year old student Nikko Burton was humiliated by his teacher during a mock “slave auction” at Chapelfield Elementary in Ohio. Burton, one of two black students in the class, was chosen to be a “slave,” while other students role-played as “masters” who inspected the “slaves” to see if they were fit for work.

“The masters got to touch people and do all sorts of stuff,” Nikko said, “They got to look in your mouth and feel your legs and stuff and see if you’re strong and stuff.”

Clutch Magazine reported recently that Burton was disciplined after he refused to participate, which involved “pocking prodding, and public humiliation.”

Although the lesson was the history teacher’s intention to explain slavery to students, Nikko’s mother, Aneka Burton, found the auction inappropriate, racist and degrading. A school district representative has apologized to the family over the phone, but the young student has not yet received an apology from his teacher.