I don't know. My girlfriend says she is light chocolate and not black. She wants to be addressed as African American and not as black. My sisters husband says he is black and not from Africa. He gets offended at African American. I'm just a white girl who tries not to offend others.

If the people they are referring to are descendants of the African diaspora, then the the term is correct.

Black history is NOT just about the history of African Americans. If it is being taught correctly, it will never fit into just one month. It will include the contributions of blacks throughout history and around the world. And it will not start with slavery or Civil Rights.

What text are they using?

My 2 cents is that you very rarely get any traction pointing out errors etc... in school materials.

There were multiple times I saw errors in my SD's homework assignments and and materials. For example, a word would be defined incorrectly. it would be similar, but not exactly right.

I tried to teach the girls the correct meaning but for the test/homework, you have to spit back at the teacher what the teacher wants to to say.

I find this so difficult to address myself. Words and ideas are powerful things, so I would not let this stuff stand. But that's also why I would have to reflect carefully on what I want to teach my kid.

I think there would be quite a list.

* Being a student means learning to follow instructions. And some teachers will tell you to walk backwards and stand on your head and that 2+2=5, and it's your job as a student to say, "Yes, ma'am, or Yes, sir," and walk backwards and stand on your head and write down 2+2=5. And come home to talk about how silly and wrong it all is.

* It's ok to speak to the teacher about it as well. But teachers are just people, and some people won't admit when they've made a mistake. So if the teacher still insists that 2+2=5, now you know more about the teacher.

* I would ask my kid to do a 'real' essay about the topic. Specifically, assign three facts she can look into and write about. At age 9, it seems kids learn best following the 'Great Person' approach to history, so ask her to write about Carter G. Woodson, Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln, and why they were important people in American History.

The thing is, we can't protect our kids from thinking we don't agree with, we can't protect them from temptation, from evil.... except by teaching them to think critically and to independently investigate truth. So I'd teach them that I expect her to do just that.

I have to agree with ESMOD. But it gies deeper than just admitting to a mistake

Most schools will teach a lie because it's easy.

For example most teachers will teach that Rosa Parks was a tired seamstress who refused tomgive up her seat on the bus. That's a feel good lie that doesn't meake white kids, parents and teacher uncomfortable. It's a lie that doesn't empower black children to challenge the status quo.

Most students aren't taught that Parks was a rape investigator for NAACR. They don't know that she went to Montgomery to investigate the gang rape of a black woman by a group of white men. Kids aren't taught that Parks, King, Ella Baker, Myles Horton....all attended Highlander Folk School-a schoolnfounded for POOR WHITE and blacks to teach social justice and leadership training.

For most part, schools ar enornin the business of empowering the masses. There is a difference between EDUCATION and KNOWLEDGE. One produces worker bees who simply do what is expected. The other produces critical thinkers who will question and challenge the status quo.

Although the text is rather poorly written the overall use of African in this context is fine. Black History Month, while typically focusing on African Americans/Blacks in America, should and could include the accomplishments of Black Africans independent of location. This would include those from Africa, America, Caribbean Islands, etc. spanning a great deal of time. By using African the authors are (seemingly) trying to be inclusive of all those of African decent independent of slave related ancestry.

SD is nine. Nine is third or fourth grade. There is only going to be a basic overview at this age. There is going to be very little of the complexity of the issues in these grades.

This is one worksheet. If you see a pattern of wrong information that you would like corrected, go in to see the teacher and explain your reasoning.