A Westchester private school is facing a state probe over a white teacher's racist Social Studies lesson, in which multiple black students say they were singled out and "sold" in a mock slave auction.
Parents at the Chapel School in Bronxville told the Daily News that, according to children's accounts, teacher Rebecca Antinozzi brought three black students into the hallway, pretended to shackle them, and then encouraged their fellow students to bid on them. Antinozzi reportedly conducted the offensive lesson for at least two 5th grade classes.
“I’m shocked and infuriated that this happened to my son," one parent told the tabloid. “I’m very shaken.”
The lesson has caused a furor within the tony private school, leading to an emergency meeting on Thursday night where school administrators said they were investigating the matter. PIX 11 reports that the school's principal, Michael Schultz, sent an email to parents apologizing for the “racially insensitive and hurtful" lesson. It's unclear whether Antinozzi is still teaching students.
On Friday, State Attorney General Letitia James said she'd opened an inquiry into the incident. In a statement provided to Gothamist, the attorney general called the reports "deeply troubling," adding, "My office is monitoring this matter closely."
Gothamist's calls to the Chapel School on Friday afternoon were not returned. We'll update if we hear back.
