A teacher at the charter school, Business and Economics Academy of Milwaukee, was removed from her job after parents complained of their 7th grade students homework assignment to “write a persuasive paper defending Klan members on trial.” Recently, the students watched the film To Kill a Mockingbird.
The charter school operates on public funding but doesn’t adhere to standard school district policies like Milwaukee Public Schools do. According to announcement on the school’s website, the assignment has been withdrawn.
The teacher, who is African American, has been temporarily removed from the classroom while an investigation is underway. In a letter to parents, the teacher stated “the goal of the research paper was not to teach the students the Klan was correct in their behavior, but rather to teach the students how to writer persuasively.” BEAM believes there was no malicious intent involved with the assignment.
