‘You’re Mexican and Ugly’: A Spanish exercise angers parents of a New York schoolteacher | US university news

A Spanish assignment sparked controversy at a New York area school, with many parents expressing outrage that it was viewed as an offensive and discriminatory offer.

“You are Mexican and ugly. You are beautiful and American.”, can be read in the Spanish exercise (written in English for students to translate), the image of which is circulating across media and social networks after some parents declared their concern and unease in this regard.

Some of these families are immigrants from Mexico, who were offended by this wording. “We’re from Mexico and two of our kids go to WCS, and we think this is very disrespectful and inappropriate. The district should have more control over the information teachers give students,” notes a Facebook message stating Newsweek.

In the face of the wave of criticism, the school district released a statement, although it is not yet clear what action will be taken on the teacher who proposed the assignment.

The exercise created by the teacher and given to the students It’s not acceptable. We are dealing with the situation to ensure it does not happen again. “The district does not condone any educational materials that tarnish the reputation of our students, families, culture or beliefs,” the statement said.

Alison Winick has a school partner’s daughter and has been one of the most vocal people when it comes to denouncing this Spanish homework for students.

“I was surprised and silent,” she told local media. buffalo news, and explained what she thought when the girl and her husband taught her the homework that their Spanish teacher had given them. The same girl was “angry”.

Wainick had already complained about it to Mill Middle School principal Laurie Jonas before the winter break, but he would not explain the response he got.

Waynec’s husband, Marcelo Florencio, who was born and raised in Latin America, told the same outlet, “I am very disappointed at Mill Middle School for allowing such disgusting and unexplained language to be introduced in the classroom.”

It remains to be seen how the case proceeds and whether disciplinary action is taken against the professor, who has not yet been identified.