Southborough teacher suspended for allegedly holding a mock auction of slaves

SOUTH BOROUGH — A local elementary school teacher has been placed on leave after school officials said he held an “unacceptable” mock slave auction in front of the class and uttered a racial slur in another incident.

The name of the fifth-grade teacher at Margaret Neary School was not disclosed.

According to a letter sent last week to parents from school superintendent Gregory Martineau, both incidents occurred earlier this year.

The first incident occurred in January during a class on the economy of the southern colonies, including the slave trade.

“During class, the teacher held an impromptu mock auction of a slave,” Martineau’s letter states. “The teacher asked two children of color who were sitting at the front of the class to stand up, and the teacher and class discussed physical characteristics (e.g., teeth and strength). Holding a mock auction of a slave auction is unacceptable and violates the core values ​​of the school district.”

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According to the letter, studies have shown that such simulations are “disproportionately traumatic for students of color.”

The second incident is said to have involved the use of a racist insult

The second alleged incident, according to the letter, occurred in April. The teacher was reading a book in class that had been recommended by another teacher. During a discussion about the book, which was not approved for fifth-grade English classes, the teacher said the “N-word.” According to Martineau’s letter, the word does not appear in the book.