Plan B » The "Upside" of Slavery

DollyLongstaff · 10/24/2015 7:34 am

From a textbook, published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, called Texas United States History:

Some slaves reported that their masters treated them kindly. To protect their investment, some slaveholders provided adequate food and clothing for their slaves. However, severe treatment was very common. Whippings, brandings, and even worse torture were all part of American slavery.

Last edited by DollyLongstaff (10/24/2015 7:35 am)

zeke · 10/26/2015 12:48 pm

John Jay was this country's first Supreme Court Justice. He and his family owned slaves in New York on their Homestead in Katonah, NY.
Some folks "softify" (my word) this ownership by inserting that the Jays manumitted their slaves. They allowed the salves to buy back their freedom for what the owners paid for them.
Say what????

zeke · 10/26/2015 12:51 pm

My daughter and her friend were very confused one day when the middle school teacher presented the idea of how slavery was so beneficial to this country. The manner in which it was presented gave the impression that slavery was a good thing. It was very confusing for these children. The mother of my daughter's friend called me because she had such a hard time explaining it to her child. Her child came home in tears.

Sam · 10/26/2015 12:59 pm

Wow zeke that is terrible. I wonder how many other school districts teach that "slavery was beneficial to this country". I would imagine that in places like Texas, this might be all too common. At least your daughter questioned it. So many children would not.

zeke · 10/26/2015 1:11 pm

Sam wrote:
Wow zeke that is terrible. I wonder how many other school districts teach that "slavery was beneficial to this country". I would imagine that in places like Texas, this might be all too common. At least your daughter questioned it. So many children would not.

Sam...that is so true and that's why altering historical facts is so dangerous and as parents and grandparents we have to be so careful and be aware of what our schools are teaching.

Another story: In grade school, the teacher was reading outloud, Huckleberry Finn. She read out loud the "N" word all throughout the study period. (4th grade) One African American student was mortified and embarrassed and he went home and told his mother. The school superintendant was notified and he asked me during the following discussions if I would have the story altered to take out the "N" word. NO....I would not change classic writings in any way, but if you are presenting this material in schools, for goodness sake, do it with THOROUGH explanation. And be sensitive to ALL the students.

Common sense?

Sam · 10/26/2015 1:36 pm

I agree. If a teacher is going to read that book aloud to the class, then there should be a discussion about the origin of the N word and the way it is defined today. In fact it really could be a "teachable moment" for the whole class if approached in the right way.

I can only imagine how embarrassed that boy was. In 4th grade social situations can be overwhelming for some. They just do not know how to handle it.

Parents & grandparents do need to be aware of their child's curriculum. But I do think that the "view" of history differs depending on where you live. By that, I mean some parents agree with those distorted views of American History. Maybe that's what they were taught too? That is really a scary thought.

Last edited by Sam (10/26/2015 1:38 pm)

needtosay · 10/26/2015 3:54 pm

I very much agree with you Zeke. I remember when I was in high school and my english class was reading Huckelberry Finn and the teacher asked me to read aloud part of the book. One of my african-american classmates protested the use of the N word so the teacher asked me to use the word Negro instead. I complied but was very uncomfortable with changing the words of the author. I have always thought that would have been a teachable moment to talk about that word and it's origins and why it is so offensive.

snapzz · 10/26/2015 4:56 pm

DollyLongstaff wrote:
From a textbook, published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, called Texas United States History:

Some slaves reported that their masters treated them kindly. To protect their investment, some slaveholders provided adequate food and clothing for their slaves. However, severe treatment was very common. Whippings, brandings, and even worse torture were all part of American slavery.

*******
the part of American history most people don't like talking about

snapzz · 10/26/2015 4:58 pm

zeke wrote:
My daughter and her friend were very confused one day when the middle school teacher presented the idea of how slavery was so beneficial to this country. The manner in which it was presented gave the impression that slavery was a good thing. It was very confusing for these children. The mother of my daughter's friend called me because she had such a hard time explaining it to her child. Her child came home in tears.

**************************
the problem is you have Ppl that do think it was a good thing, for them

Spunky · 10/26/2015 5:39 pm

zeke wrote:
Sam wrote:
Wow zeke that is terrible. I wonder how many other school districts teach that "slavery was beneficial to this country". I would imagine that in places like Texas, this might be all too common. At least your daughter questioned it. So many children would not.

Sam...that is so true and that's why altering historical facts is so dangerous and as parents and grandparents we have to be so careful and be aware of what our schools are teaching.

Another story: In grade school, the teacher was reading outloud, Huckleberry Finn. She read out loud the "N" word all throughout the study period. (4th grade) One African American student was mortified and embarrassed and he went home and told his mother. The school superintendant was notified and he asked me during the following discussions if I would have the story altered to take out the "N" word. NO....I would not change classic writings in any way, but if you are presenting this material in schools, for goodness sake, do it with THOROUGH explanation. And be sensitive to ALL the students.

Common sense?

Yes, common sense should prevail...and it is very unfortunate that educated people such as some teachers may have no common sense....Or they may just choose to teach according to their own biases.

snapzz · 10/26/2015 6:14 pm

Spunky wrote:
zeke wrote:
Sam wrote:
Wow zeke that is terrible. I wonder how many other school districts teach that "slavery was beneficial to this country". I would imagine that in places like Texas, this might be all too common. At least your daughter questioned it. So many children would not.

Sam...that is so true and that's why altering historical facts is so dangerous and as parents and grandparents we have to be so careful and be aware of what our schools are teaching.

Another story: In grade school, the teacher was reading outloud, Huckleberry Finn. She read out loud the "N" word all throughout the study period. (4th grade) One African American student was mortified and embarrassed and he went home and told his mother. The school superintendant was notified and he asked me during the following discussions if I would have the story altered to take out the "N" word. NO....I would not change classic writings in any way, but if you are presenting this material in schools, for goodness sake, do it with THOROUGH explanation. And be sensitive to ALL the students.

Common sense?

Yes, common sense should prevail...and it is very unfortunate that educated people such as some teachers may have no common sense....Or they may just choose to teach according to their own biases.

************************
I have found out that common sense is not common to everybody.

Sam · 10/26/2015 6:17 pm

LOL snapzz,
So true. Common sense is definitly not common to everybody!

snapzz · 10/26/2015 6:26 pm

Sam wrote:
LOL snapzz,
So true. Common sense is definitly not common to everybody!

**************************
yes I learned that as I was growing up, and some of the Ppl I just knew should have had common sense hand none... loland found it to be so true

Last edited by snapzz (10/26/2015 6:26 pm)

zeke · 10/26/2015 10:37 pm

needtosay wrote:
I very much agree with you Zeke. I remember when I was in high school and my english class was reading Huckelberry Finn and the teacher asked me to read aloud part of the book. One of my african-american classmates protested the use of the N word so the teacher asked me to use the word Negro instead. I complied but was very uncomfortable with changing the words of the author. I have always thought that would have been a teachable moment to talk about that word and it's origins and why it is so offensive.

I agree need. I knew some folks who wanted to change Negro Spirituals to African American Spirituals and I was totally against that.

zeke · 10/26/2015 10:40 pm

Common sense is definitly not common to everybody!

This is a great saying. Thanks snap.

zeke · 10/26/2015 10:42 pm

So true spunky.