Saltus Response To Criticism Over Assignment
Following a message being circulated expressing concern, Saltus school said they “are taking the concerns from our community very seriously”, adding that teachers examined the coursework “to rework, clarify, and improve” it.
Messages circulating alleged that the school may have asked some students about the “better parts of slavery,” and while Saltus did not respond to a query asking them to confirm or deny the assignment was about slavery, they did provide the statement below.
A spokesperson said, “Saltus understands that there is a message being circulated in the community about a Humanities assignment that was taught at Saltus Middle School last semester.
“Saltus is committed to fostering a diverse, open, and inclusive educational environment that actively seeks to confront systemic racism and discrimination through growth, learning, and dialogue. We are taking the concerns from our community very seriously.
“Our teachers have examined the unit and coursework in question to rework, clarify, and improve the content and focus. We are working with Dr. Vernée Butterfield, an expert in Culturally Responsive Practices and Racial Equity to further review our coursework to ensure new perspectives are incorporated and biases or space for misinterpretations are addressed and corrected.
“Dr. Butterfield will also work with our students and teachers to review our Humanities units together and ensure they meet our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
“Racism has no place at Saltus. We believe that growth and learning can only come from interaction among people with different experiences and worldviews.
“As part of our ongoing diversity and inclusion work, we are listening, learning, and taking action to deepen confidence and trust within our community while cultivating a dynamic learning environment that inspires our students to lead us to a more just, fair, and sustainable world.”
Update 5.30pm: Bernews submitted questions to Saltus yesterday, and while the school did not directly respond to us, as far as our question of whether the assignment was on slavery, they have issued a full statement with more information. It can be read here on their social media page.
If that question “What are the better parts of Slavery” given to Students is correct, THERE ARE NO BETTER PARTS TO SLAVERY. To me Insensitivity was shown by the Course organizer. I’m GLAD the whole of Our Black Race wasn’t wiped out through Slavery here nor abroad!!!
Or other enslaved races at different times in human history.
“Messages circulating alleged that the school may have asked some students about the “better parts of slavery,” ”
Really? In the 21st century? In this post-BLM world? IN BERMUDA?
Get a grip on your curriculum and the place in which you operate!
“Really? In the 21st century? In this post-BLM world? IN BERMUDA?”
Yup…the very same Bermuda that is currently begging the Privy council to allow them to discriminate against “the gays”.
Shhh..they aren’t ready for the conversation lol
Humanities teaching benefits from examining events from multiple perspectives. As an example a class on exploration might examine “Was Columbus a hero or a villain?”
IMO, the work ‘better’ can not be used when looking at slavery. It might be more appropriate to examine who benefitted from slavery and how and to link this to the cost of the institution of slavery to the enslaved persons and their communities.
“Saltus is committed to fostering a diverse, open, and inclusive educational environment that actively seeks to confront systemic racism and discrimination through growth, learning, and dialogue. We are taking the concerns from our community very seriously.”
This statement infuriates me to Nth Degree!!! How can a teacher, group of teachers or head of department think an assignment of such is acceptable in this day in age. If SALTUS truly believes in the sentiments of this statement, then they will do the right thing and hold individuals accountable. If this would have happened else where individuals would have been terminated immediately.
SALTUS stop being reactionary only to simply appease the public and hope that the negative publicity blows over quickly.
SHAME, SHAME, SHAME Saltus Teachers and staff!! Did not one teacher nor staff member take a critical lens to challenge those responsible for such an outrageous and despicable assignment.
Shame, shame, shame – just totally disgusted!!
Grow up. You’re over-reacting, and are part of the group of the perpetually offended. Someone who would balance a stool on the toilet cistern in order to be offended by what goes on in your neighbours bathroom.
I don’t know what the coursework said, and nor do you.
Wow I thought you would agree as you are in most comments progressive. So is Whoopies punishment good with you or should she be fired like Jena Corrono (SP? no time to look up) for saying don’t disparage your neighbors (something you do do). Which is it or is it subjective to your feelings.
LOL get woke go broke. Why do we have diversity departments in school anyway. Moral up bring should be the parents domain not the school’s.
Listen, do you for one minute think that Saltus, or a Saltus teacher is so tone deaf, unaware, dare I say racist, to deliberately send something so insensitive?
No, I didn’t think so. Bear in mind this coursework was circulated last semester, so it took a good month at least for the outrage to appear.
SO, let the school deal with it and move on.
@Sandgrown
Wrong is wrong and white is right, seems to be your mantra!
You assume that I do not have first hand information, and we all know what that means.
Clearly ignorance is bliss.
Hum, I wonder how this assignment would have turned out if they switched slavery to the holocaust – I just wonder?
@Sandgrownan please take a critical lens also.
Clearly, if Saltus felt the need to publicly address this situation then clearly that should tell you something, but Sandgrownan you are all over the columns professing to know all others.
No I don’t have first hand information, but do you really think Saltus or a Saltus teacher would deliberately be so insensitive, or tone deaf?
Give me a break.
Go organise a march or something.
Bruh it was FAKE. IT WAS A PARENT WHO WAS MAD THEY MADE A FAKE STATMENT LMAO DO YOUR RESEARCH YOU BLM LIBERAL
How do you feel about same sex marriage in Bermuda?
You need an expert to tell you what is right to teach – huh??
And-
Our teachers have examined the unit and coursework in question to rework, clarify, and improve the content and focus.
How about ‘Saltus will immediately remove the offensive unit and coursework’
There is nothing to clarify about saying slavery was not that bad. Really Saltus??
The coursework did not ask for students to discuss “the better parts of slavery”. That was not the question nor what the coursework was about. Be wary about what people circulate via WhatsApp or social media. Additionally, Saltus’ response was too quick and too placating – they need to be open about the assignment which was from a TEXTBOOK and was NOT what has been alleged in social media.
Indeed. Correct.
“the assignment which was from a TEXTBOOK and was NOT what has been alleged in social media.”
Ok, good. Now what was the wording of the assignment please?
Lol…. None of your f****ing business. Go ask the head.
This Sanddirt character…
sandgrownan says:
February 3, 2022
Or other enslaved races at different times in human history.
This basically supports the stance that salty-us made.
That slavery happened long ago…so get over it…
With zero acknowledgement of recent evil inhumane treatments – of Affro-Nubian Carbon Man- and how that benefits their children and disadvantages our children TODAY!
THAT IS the same vile spirit that carried out those atrocities then are alive and well and thriving now.
sandgrownan says:
February 3, 2022
Grow up. You’re over-reacting, and are part of the group of the perpetually offended. Someone who would balance a stool on the toilet cistern in order to be offended by what goes on in your neighbours bathroom.
I don’t know what the coursework said, and nor do you.
reply
This statement proves this stink mouth to be just that, a vile racist supporting shill, hiding behind the key board and rejoicing at all your(Black Bermudians) ploits.
This person is a Racist Troll “SANDGROWNAN”.
IS A HATER AND AN INSTIGATOR.
With people like this running around and those like those at Salty-us.
You can be darn sure u will be oppressed for the next 100 years.
Grow up.
This is a nothing story. An incorrect social media posting by a parent mad about who knows what, stirring up the perpetually offended. It’s bs. Do you research, go find out what happened.
I did. And it’s nothing.
Don’t you ever tell me what I feel or should feel about the horrors of slavery, to whomever it happened. You have no right to dictate to me what I think or say.
Perhaps it would be safer to avoid teaching kids about slavery at all. Avoid the whole subject. Then no one would get “offended” by the words in an assignment.
Not only that, but we should ban the The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. They use the “N’ word throughout.
Perhaps we can also ban books about the Holocaust and other terrible things that have happened in the past. That way, no one learns about bad things in history. Our world will seem a Utopia.
As a graduate of SGS l can certify and testify that Samuel Saltus left the money to start the school on the condition that black and brown boys are not to attend
Our Government used taxpayer money to support and fund Saltus over the entirety of its existence until a recent decision was made to go private.
Bermudas tax base derived by the Black majority funded a school where their sons could not attend until the 1960s……that’s how white privilege works!!!
There is nothing that can make this right, but it required the tacit acceptance of political and social forces that benefitted from slavery and the dehumanization of Black people. Nevertheless you cannot expect the beneficiaries of slavery to be the ones to pursue justice.
How’s the privy council appeal going?
Ask them to explain hypocrisy to you.
The nerve to accuse someone of being offended. Hypocrite! You’re offended over the right for people to choose over what goes in their own bodies but yet you participate in the same discriminatory behavior against certain groups of people . hypocrite!!
As an Saltus alumni I am not at all surprised. As they claim they are a diverse community and racism has no place at the school well I can strongly disagree . While my time I attended Saltus I had Witnesses racism with students and especially teachers and faculty and also refused to help or support us blacks that suffered with education needs which led to a group of us ether switching a schools in Bermuda or being forced to attend schools abroad. Saltus was not a place for me when I was getting treated or the help that I needed since I was black.
And just when was this ?
When? What year?
You won’t get an answer….I’m surprised your post was approved