Las Vegas school survey asking students if they would like to have sex with Black people sparks controversy
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA: A survey given to high school students has left parents enraged after it asked controversial questions regarding Black people. West Technical and Career Academy in Las Vegas that started the semester remotely in August due to the coronavirus pandemic reportedly gave the survey to its students that contained questions, like if they would like to have sexual relationships with a Black person, or “how warm or cold” they “feel towards African Americans”.
According to KTNV, the questionnaire was provided as part of some implicit bias learning. However, when it created controversy, the school’s principal Amy Docter Rozar, said in an email addressing parents that “we recently became aware of randomly generated questions in the survey that contain college-level content that may be inappropriate for high school students. Students were not required to complete the survey and were provided with other classroom exercise options.”
While Erin Phillips, president of a non-profit organization called Power 2 Parent that works towards parents empowerment, said: “It’s totally not age-appropriate. This is for college-level students, and not 10th graders.” She added: “We always want to make sure that our conversations with the district are transparent and come up with solutions.”
According to The Sun, a sample survey included a number of questions, such as "I would prefer my skin tone to", the options for which were, “be much lighter, be somewhat lighter, stay the same, be somewhat darker," or "be much darker."Another question was "If Black people moved into my neighborhood, it would personally upset me..." and the choices given were: “a lot; some but not a lot, only a little," or "not at all." Not just that, it also included a question related to “Light-skinned People” that read, “How warm or cold you feel towards Light Skinned People?” with options like, “extremely warm, very warm, moderately warm, neither warm nor cold, extremely cold, etc.”
The test left many outraged on social media platforms with one commenting, “I’m shocked and p****d off this was even allowed in High School.” Another person tweeted, “#LasVegas high school West Technical and Career Academy surveyed students as part of their implicit bias lesson. The school asked teenagers how comfortable they are around White people and whether they would have a sexual relationship with a Black person. This is disgusting!”
#LasVegas high school West Technical and Career Academy surveyed students as part of their implicit bias lesson. The school asked teenagers how comfortable they are around White people and whether they would have a sexual relationship with a Black person. This is disgusting!
— Darren Cate (@darrencate) September 25, 2020
In another incident, a Tennessee school district found itself surrounded by controversy for asking parents to sign a form in which they agree not to eavesdrop or be present during their children’s online classes. The reason behind this was reportedly their concern that the parents would overhear "confidential" information. After facing heavy criticism, the district allowed parents to listen to the virtual classes with the class teacher’s permission, but recording is still prohibited.
“It's ridiculous. It's so hypocritical because they've been data mining our children for years, compliments of common core. "What are they trying to hide? What is the problem? Why won't they let us sit in? Laurie Cardoza-Moore, founder of Proclaiming Justice to the Nations, said. “Obviously, because they are teaching our children propaganda that they should not be teaching. They are trying to socialize our children."
Laurie added: “We have had a major problem in education, not just here in Tennessee, but across the country where they are indoctrinating our children with propaganda.”