Monday, March 05, 2012

Jada Williams, Student, Allegedly Harassed For Award-Winning Essay Comparing School To Modern Slavery (VIDEO)

Jada Williams, Student, Allegedly Harassed For Award-Winning Essay Comparing School To Modern Slavery (VIDEO): When Jada Williams, a 13-year-old student at Rochester's School No. 3, wrote an essay making comparisons between a slavemaster discouraging Fredrick Douglas from learning to read and modern education struggles in her district, the teen didn't expect a wave of controversy -- but she ended up switching schools because of it, the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle reports.

“When I find myself sitting in a crowded classroom where no real instruction is taking place I can say history does repeat itself,” Jada wrote in her essay, according to the Democrat and Chronicle. “I feel like not much has changed. Just different people. Different era. The same old discrimination still resides in the hearts of the white man.”

Williams said she began to feel singled out by teachers after turning the essay in to her English class, earning "Ds" -- a change from her previous "As. She also said the school's treatment of her changed in general, the Rochester City Newspaper reports.