High School Serves Fried Chicken, Cornbread and Watermelon To Celebrate Black History Month — Then Says ‘Our Bad’

A private school for girls outside of San Francisco is apologizing after serving a controversial lunch during their celebration of Black History Month. Students at Carondelet High School for Girls were offered a lunch menu fried chicken, cornbread and watermelon.

After some students, and probably parents, freaked out about the lunch, the school issued an apology. Apparently, the memo to be apologetic didn’t reach the entire staff at the school.

“Robert Jackson, a teacher at Acts Christian Academy said offering fried chicken, cornbread and watermelon is different, because the food goes back to the history of slavery. ‘We talk about soul food because it was actually food we used that was left over from the master’s table and we used it to restore our soul and restore our hope.’”

Well Mr. Jackson, thanks for taking it one step further and mentioning slavery and master’s table. Did you walk away from the interview humming a negro spiritual too? How about you just say “sorry” (whether you’re sorry or not) and then in your mind think anything you want?

This brings us to an even bigger question — can food be racist?

Mr. Jackson argues that the food is an extension of the celebration. Fair enough but did the school have to serve all of the foods together? Fried chicken on Monday and cornbread on Tuesday is still celebrating Black History Month and there are still twenty-six more days in the month of February to serve watermelon, grape soda and whatever else the faculty considers “not that offensive.”

Gabby Simones, a junior at the school who is Latina said, “On Cinco de Mayo we would have probably had enchiladas, rice and beans.”

Valid point from a student, who the interviewer must point out, is Latina. Now, for a counterpoint, let’s go interview all of the black, female students at the private catholic high school in one of the richest areas of the country and get their opinion her opinion. Wait, there are none? Ok, let’s just ask a black person who lives within 10, 20, 30 miles of the school.

(crickets)

[via News 96.5]