A class of fifth graders (aged 10–11) at a South Carolina school were asked to defend the white-supremacist movement the Ku Klux Klan in their treatment of African Americans in a homework assignment.

The children, who attended Oak Pointe Elementary School in Irmo, were given a worksheet by their teacher which read: “You are a member of the K.K.K.. Why do you think your treatment of African-Americans is justified?”

One student’s uncle Tremain Cooper posted a photo of his nephew’s homework on Facebook writing: “This is my little 10-year-old nephew’s homework assignment today. He’s home crying right now.”

The teacher was put on administrative leave while an investigation was carried out, according to Katrina Goggins, a spokeswoman for the school.

“South Carolina standards for fifth grade require lessons on Reconstruction and discriminatory groups, including the K.K.K. We must teach the standard, but we are taking steps to ensure this particular assignment will never be used again in District Five schools,” she said.

The worksheet was given recently as extreme-right groups made headlines in the USA.

A woman was killed in Charlottesville, Virginia, last month (August 2017) when a man rammed his car into a crowd of protesters at a white nationalist rally.

US President Donald Trump blamed both sides for the unrest.