Teachers at Sulphur Springs Middle School in Texas thought the awards they gave out in their "8th Annual Ghetto Awards" were amusing, but the students' families didn't think so.
What the teachers planned to be a year-end classroom celebration sparked outrage among the families of students involved, calling into question many things including the nature and intention of the awards, which the teachers organized without the knowledge of the school superintendent nor the school principal.
Debra Jose was surprised when her grandson brought home the "Huh?" award. It was reportedly given to him because he would often say the word when he is confused in class. The award was supposed to be funny, but Jose is not laughing.
"I had to take a second look. I was like, really? How could a teacher put this on there?" Jose said, KLTV reported. "Did she say 'ghetto' on a certificate that she was giving my grandson?"
"(He's) pretty hurt, you know. He feels pretty inferior," said Jerrika Wilkins, the boy's mother, according to the Daily News. "You know, he want to succeed. It just kind of hurt his feelings."
When a picture of the certificate was posted on Facebook, other parents spoke up and said that they didn't like it either. Many of them are asking how the activity has survived in the last eight years. Their questions spurred the school to conduct an investigation.
Sulphur Springs superintendent Michael Lamb said he was "shocked" when he heard about the so-called awards.
"The 'Huh?' award just begs questions," he commented. "And then the '8th annual' brings questions too."
"It's my understanding the same award was given last year to up to 60 kids," Lamb said. "I believe she'd done the same in a previous district," he added, referring to Stephanie Garner, one of the teachers responsible for the activity.
The teacher said she got the idea from another school district in Dallas where she previously worked, prompting authorities to check if the same acivity is being done in other school districts in the city.
There were two teachers who signed the certificate. One was Gardner, and the other was Thomas Couch. The principal's name and signature were also on the certificate, but Lamb said that considering the principal was unaware that such awards existed, the signature was forged.
According to Lamb, the awards are unacceptable. He said SSISD is apologizing to everyone offended by what happened.
"It is not something SSISD is proud of. It is not acceptable. It is not anything we want to be a part of, and we are addressing it today," the superintendent said.
