'If eight slaves pick 56 oranges...' Georgia school under fire for racist, violent math homework

Parents of elementary school students in Georgia are outraged after their children brought home math homework referencing slavery and beatings.



In an attempt to mix social studies with math, students of Beaver Ridge Elementary school in Norcross were asked to calculate such questions as how many oranges and cotton slaves could pick.



'I'm having to explain to my 8-year-old why slavery or slaves or beatings are in a math problem. That hurts,' Terrance Barnett expressed to WSB-TV.

Scroll down for video



Social studies mix: Although officials at the elementary school claimed the questions were an attempt to mix maths and social studies, parents demanded an investigation

Another question asked: 'If Frederick got two beatings per day, how many beatings did he get in one week?'



'I was furious at that point in time,' Mr Braxton said.

'Whoever put together this paperwork and everything else, the schools and everything else, shouldn't teach it this way,' a second student's father, Christopher Braxton told WSB-TV.

'I was furious': Christopjer Braxton said he immediately contacted the school's principal to ask why the homework was given such violent, racist overtones

Offensive questions: Parents of children at Beaver Ridge Elementary School in Norcross, Georgia, say they had to explain the concept of slavery to their young children

'He's not answering this question,' Mr Braxton said after reading the following problem:



'Each tree had 56 oranges. If eight slaves pick them equally, then how much would each slave pick?'



Both of the parents say they immediately contacted the school's principal to find out why it was given.

Wrong: A spokeswoman for the school district admits that those questions should not have been given out and that they have been shred to prevent future recirculation

Others: While another question asked referenced Susan B Anthony, some of the other questions were not historical but more on the line of transportation and finances

A District Spokeswoman for Gwinnett County public schools, which oversees a 24% black or African American demographic at Beaver Ridge, admitted it was a mistake.



'The teachers were trying to do a cross-curricular activity,' Spokeswoman Sloan Roach explained to WSB-TV in their intended attempt to mix history with math.



But the problems weren't given with any historical background confusing the students who asked their parents why someone was being beaten twice a day.



'We understand that there are concerns about these questions and we agree that these questions were not appropriate,' Ms Roach responded.



Those math problems, according to the school's vice principal, have since been shred to prevent their future use again.

Watch the video here:





