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Report: Teacher Back From Leave After Slave Song Assignment

BALTIMORE (WJZ) --  A high school teacher is under fire after she assigned a controversial assignment that some are calling "racially insensitive."

It's the latest example of tension building within the Howard County School system.

The Howard County Schools superintendent told the Baltimore Sun that the teacher is inexperienced and the assignment was outrageous.

The Mount Hebron teacher is accused of making light of black history. She assigned 11th grade students to write songs about slavery.

"My insensitivity barometer hit 10," said former school board member Larry Walker.

Walker says the district lacks guidance on diversity issues, but the teacher should not lose her job.

"I think this was just a teacher who had a blind spot and from my investigation, was well intentioned in the lesson," he said.

The teacher in this case was placed on administrative leave, not a disciplinary action, the district says.

"There have been lots of other incidents at hebron towards racism and stuff, and I think this just contributes," one student said.

RELATED: Oakland Mills HS Students Stage Walkout Over Racial Tensions

Just last week, Oakland Mills High School students walked out over racial tensions in the school. In February, a racist rant from a Mt. Hebron student went viral.

Now this poorly-worded assignment has taken center stage.

"Other teachers in past years have done it before and this is really the only time anybody's gotten in trouble for it," said another student.

"So it's never acceptable to offend students or adults, and we just want to make sure that doesn't happen even by accident," said John White of Howard County Public Schools.

The district is now promising parents it won't happen again.

The homework assignment was removed and the teacher was back in the classroom yesterday. The school principal sent out an email to parents, inviting them to the PTSA meeting to to discuss the topic.

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