Zayda Rivera, BET, December 11, 2019

A fifth-grade teacher in Missouri in on administrative leave after a controversial classroom assignment asked students to “set your price for a slave.”

In a letter to parents, Blades Elementary School Principal Jeremy Booker said the assignment was completed during class time and students were asked to consider how plantation owners traded for goods and slaves, local CBS affiliate KMOV4 reports.

The assignment stated: “You own a plantation or farm and therefore need more workers. You begin to get involved in the slave trade industry and have slaves work on your farm. Your product to trade is slaves. Set your price for a slave. ____________ These could be worth a lot. You may trade for any items you’d like.”

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The assignment included 11 other questions that asked about pricing grain, apples, milk, fish and other products.

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As of Monday (Dec. 9) night, the teacher, whose name has not been released, was placed on administrative leave, KMOV4 reports.

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