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George C. Marshall High School
Student Told To Read Langston
Hughes Poem ‘Blacker’

A Virginia high school English asked him to explain why blacks
teacher is under investigation for like grape soda and rap music.
allegedly asking the only black
student in the class to read a poem Shumate’s mother, Nicole Page,
in a “blacker” manner. told WAMU that she is “very sad”
for her “child’s loss of innocence” Nepalese
Jordan Shumate, a ninth-grader at through the experience. The teach-
George C. Marshall High School in er had also previously asked the man, 72,
Falls Church, Va., says he was read- student to rap out a poem by black
ing aloud Langston Hughes’ “Bal- rapper and actor Tupac Shakur, claims to
lad of the Landlord” when teacher Page said. be world’s
Marilyn Bart interrupted him.
“We’re in 2012 with the first Afri- shortest
“She told me, ‘Blacker, Jordan can American president,” Page told
-- c’mon, blacker. I thought you WJLA-TV. “In this era how could
were black,’” Shumate told The such a statement be made, particu-
Washington Post. larly by an English teacher?” KATMANDU, Nepal (AP) — He has and his family in Rhimkholi vil- shorter than the world’s shortest
never worked outside the home or lage, about 250 miles (400 kilome- man.
When the 14-year-old student Shumate’s claims come after two seen a doctor, and until Wednes- ters) west of Katmandu. Because
declined to continue reading the shocking and racist YouTube vid- day, he had never left his remote of his height, he has never worked Guinness currently recognizes Jun-
poem, Bart read it herself to dem- eos surfaced in Florida last month mountain village in western Nepal. outside the house, doing only rey Balawing of the Philippines,
onstrate what she meant. that feature white teen girls mak- So 72-year-old Chandra Bahadur household chores. His five broth- who is 23.5 inches (60 centimeters)
ing disparaging statements against tall.
“She read the poem like a slave, black students. Dangi only recently learned he ers are of average size.
basically,” Shumate told the Post. might be the world’s shortest man. His family is not sure when he Another Nepalese man, Khagen-
When he asked whether she At least one of the incidents forced Dangi says he’s only 22 inches (56 stopped growing, and Dangi said dra Thapa Magar, was known as
thought all black people speak the video’s creators to apologize centimeters) tall — about the size he has never been checked by a the world’s shortest man, at 26.4
that way, he was reportedly told to and leave their Gainesville, Fla., of a toddler — and he’s hoping to medical doctor. He attended a few inches (67 centimeters), before
take his seat and reprimanded for high school. claim the title. Guinness World Re- classes in the village school, but Balawing took over the title on his
speaking out of turn. 18th birthday in June.
cords said in an email Wednesday soon dropped out.
The poem was written in 1940 that its officials would arrive in Dangi eats mainly rice and veg- In December, Guinness recognized
about a black tenant thrown in jail Nepal’s capital Sunday to measure etables, and occasionally meat, but an Indian teenager as the world’s
for challenging a landlord. Dangi. shortest woman. Jyoti Amge is 24.7
in small portions.
inches (62.8 centimeters) tall and
“It’s very, very unprofessional,” Dangi took his first trip outside his Since the village is so remote, it was wants to attend university and
Shumate told WJLA-TV. “It should village and his first trip on a plane only recently that Dangi gained become a Bollywood star.
not happen. She didn’t do it to any to reach Katmandu on Wednesday. notice. A forest contractor cutting
other kids. Why did she have to do “I am very happy to be in Kat- timber in the village met him and Aside from a Guinness certificate,
it to me?” the titles not come with any cash
mandu for the first time in my life. informed local media after Dangi’s
The student brought the issue to I am here so I can take the Guin- height was measured. award.
his mother’s attention after the ness title,” Dangi told reporters at Dangi’s nephew, Dolak Dangi, said
teacher reportedly singled him the airport. that before the contractor’s visit,
out again during a lesson about Dangi, who has never been mar- the family did not know his uncle’s
stereotypes. Shumate said Bart
ried, lives with his eldest brother exact height, and that he was
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