Parents are furious and confused after learning that students at John Fiske Elementary School were asked by their music teacher to research controversial Chicago rapper Chief Keef, who is known more for his lengthy arrest record than his album sales.
“I had never heard of him. But after careful research I found out that his music is about having sex, using the ‘B’ word, anti-police and supporting gangs,” parent Katrina Sanders said, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. “What happened to the musical composers? The music that this teacher is presenting is the very thing that the children don’t need: profanity, drugs and acting as if being arrested is a badge of honor.”
The assignment was given by an unidentified substitute teacher, who asked the students to answer the following questions:
Where was he placed on house arrest?
Who shot Chief Keef when he was 16?
What Kanye West song was Chief Keef featured on?
At what age did he stop attending school?
What was Chief Keef debut album?
What year was “Bang” release?
Keith Cozart, better known by his stage name Chief Keef, has extensive gang ties, has spent significant time in juvenile detention, and is currently unable to travel to Chicago because of an outstanding warrant for unpaid child support.
“This inappropriate project was immediately suspended by the principal as soon as she learned about it. While teachers have flexibility in making assignments, CPS requires them to provide age-appropriate material in the classroom,” spokeswoman Emily Bittner said, adding that the school’s Principal Cynthia Miller was unaware of the questionable subject matter.
The students, some as young as third graders, were also shown Chucky and A Nightmare on Elm Street films.
Dr. Sanders said she had complained about the controversial assignment for weeks but was ignored by school officials.
The issuance of the research assignment smacks of irony when you consider that Chicago’s South Side streets are soaked in blood, a direct result of the violent gang culture popularized by Chief Keef’s music.
Dr. Sanders created the video below, which shows her blasting school administrators:
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