DeKalb Schools teacher suspended for vulgar lyrics in homework assignment

A music teacher has been removed from her classroom at Mary McLeod Bethune Middle School after a homework assignment surfaced where students were subjected to vulgar language in the exercise.

The teacher, Bonnecia Williams, is on leave pending an investigation. She’s been a teacher with the school district for two years, having previously worked at Atlanta Public Schools.

The assignment, floating around on social media, used lines from the second verse of "Drowning" from rapper A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie featuring Kodak Black. Students were supposed to put a positive spin on the lyrics.

Williams detailed in a letter to be sent home to parents that the lesson was for students to change lyrics from negative to positive.

“At no time should students be subjected to this type of language at impressionable ages,” she wrote. “regardless of my best intentions, I failed miserably. I should have used better judgement.”

District officials said the assignment was given to students before the storm known as Irma downed trees and power lines, canceling classes for four days.

“The assignment was inappropriate, unacceptable and contrary to our standards,” Superintendent Steve Green said in a statement. “While we encourage teacher creativity, the expectation is that the instruction is always standards-based and age appropriate.”