Call me!.....and don't trust black dudes

A note one of my students gave me prior to leaving for Thanksgiving break:

"Dear Mr. Lowe,
Hav a faburistic Thanx-Givin. Love you, we all do...
tell ur wife 2 call me!
901-xxx-xx50
Sincerely,
Candie Monster
-CB"

How nice. My wife never called. Bummer.

Then, as I was grading the exams they took on Tuesday before the break, I came to a shocking answer that details just a lil' bit of racism in one of my students. We've been researching the case of Emmett Till (see previous post) and so the whole test had to do with Emmett Till and the events surrounding his death. As a wrap-up to it all, the last question on the test was:

"Based on the facts and testimonies given, whom do you believe? Why? (Remember, you need to base your decision in FACTS from everything we've read)"

The correct answer would consist of either siding with Emmett Till or his accused murderers based on an assortment of facts (there was more evidence for Emmett Till's side; there wasn't enough evidence to convict the murderers; the witnesses gave perfect testimony to convict; etc.).

RC's response: "I think black men can't be trusted."

Ummm.......a brief history - or civics - lesson may be in store.