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Ever been the only black person in a high school class? I know I have and there’s evidently a certain responsibility that a solo black person in the class has. Jordan Shumate is the only black person in his English class at George C. Marshall High School in Falls Church, VA and when the student read aloud Langston Hughes’ “Ballad of the Landlord” in class and his teacher, Marilyn Bart allegedly asked him to read the poem, “blacker.”

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Yes, you read that right–blacker. “She told me, ‘Blacker, Jordan — c’mon, blacker. I thought you were black,'” Shumate told The Washington Post. When Jordan refused to read the poem “blacker,” Bart took it upon herself to show him just what she meant. She proceeded to read the poem, “like a slave,” Jordan told the Post. Bart then chastised Jordan for speaking out of turn and he just wanted to know why she made a mockery of his history.

Even though the incident hurt Jordan, he let it go but Bart wasn’t done with her racism. On a lesson in stereotypes, she asked Jordan why all black people like grape soda and rap music. Is this teacher serious? Racism shouldn’t be allowed in school in any way–from students nor teachers!

Oh, Bart’s slick racial insults don’t stop there. Once in class she asked Jordan to rap a song by Tupac Shakur. SMH, what’s up with racism showing its ugly face in our schools?

Do you think this teacher should be fired? Let’s discuss on Twitter @Rhapsodani.

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