Georgia teacher suspended after giving an assignment with vulgar rap lyrics

A Georgia music teacher at Bethune Middle School in DeKalb County has been suspended after parents complained about a homework assignment that included vulgar language and racial slurs.

The assignment instructed students to reword verses from the song “Drowning” by rapper A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie featuring Kodak Black. Lyrics included things like “n***a with attitude but I ain’t from Compton,” “She call me daddy but I ain’t her mother****ing father,” and “They hatin’, I know they don’t wanna see a n***a prosper.”

Chrishana Wright, a parent to one of the children in the class, told WSB the assignment was “against everything I try to teach (my children).”

Bonnecia Williams, the teacher, sent a letter home to parents saying that the lesson was for students to change the lyrics from negative to positive, and that she had “failed miserably” despite her “best intentions,” the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.

Wright said she understood the teacher’s intention, but thinks the assignment should have been more thoroughly thought out.

“I think we all kind of know when it may be a problem, then if that's the case don't take the chance,” Wright said. “You're dealing with children's minds; you have to be very cautious.”

In a statement, DeKalb County Schools Superintendent R. Stephen Green said the assignment was not acceptable.

“The employee responsible has been removed from the classroom and will be held accountable for such poor judgment. While we encourage teacher creativity, the expectation is that the instruction is always standards-based and age appropriate.”

This story was originally published September 21, 2017 at 2:11 PM with the headline "Georgia teacher suspended after giving an assignment with vulgar rap lyrics."