Cincinnati 4th-Grade Teacher Reprimanded for Referencing Alcohol and Food Stamps on Homework

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In North Avondale, Ohio, a fourth-grade Montessori teacher gave math homework that included a question regarding liquor and two more referencing food stamps, prompting possible disciplinary action from the Cincinnati Public Schools.

The school district discovered the problem when a parent of a student posted a picture of the homework on Facebook. The school district initially reacted on Thursday, with its spokeswoman Janet Walsh asserting, “This matter was brought to the district’s attention late today, and we are looking into it. While the investigation is continuing, it does appear that a test with inappropriate questions was sent home by a teacher at North Avondale Montessori without the knowledge and approval of the school leadership and district.”

On Friday, the district followed its initial statement by saying, “The wording is both insensitive and developmentally inappropriate. It also runs counter to the values of NAM and Cincinnati Public Schools, where we celebrate the diversity of our families and respect differences in backgrounds and beliefs.”

North Avondale has a student enrollment of 577 and serves preschoolers through seventh graders.

The parent who posted the picture on Facebook also wrote of a meeting with the teacher: “I suggested that with questionable wording, he should, maybe, have the pages retyped with new words and recipes. He agreed. So not sure this resolved anything, but at least this teacher is aware that parents do pay attention to their kids’ assignments.”

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