Parent expressed concern about ties to slavery
The cakewalk at the Garrison School PTA’s annual Fall Festival has been canceled out of concern that it is insensitive to Black people.
This year’s festival is scheduled for Saturday (Oct. 19) from noon to 2 p.m.
While there are many accounts of the origin of cakewalks, most say they date to the 19th century when slaves would dance in a circle in what may have begun as a mockery of the formal dancing of plantation owners. The best dancers won a cake. The cakewalk later became a regular part of minstrel shows, with whites performing in blackface. The phrase “takes the cake” comes from the cakewalk.
In the PTA cakewalk, which had been part of the festival for at least 10 years, participants purchased tickets to walk in a circle, stepping on markers with numbers while music played. When the music stopped, a number was drawn and whoever was standing on that number could select a homemade cake. The game continued until all the donated cakes were taken.
This year, a parent expressed concern that the cakewalk “has historical roots tied to slavery,” said Gregory Stowell, the superintendent. After research, Stowell said “the PTA and the district collaboratively agreed that in its current iteration, we just couldn’t continue it, given what we now know about the history of the cakewalk.”
Stowell added that the district is striving to set an example consistent with its Vision of a Graduate, which includes diversity, equity and inclusion and integrity and empathy. “The district does not want to sponsor any event on our grounds that is, in any way, shape or form, making any of our community members feel like it’s not inclusive and it’s not welcoming,” he said.
In a statement on Thursday (Oct. 17), the PTA said: “The school’s administration brought the controversial history of the cakewalk to the PTA’s attention. We did our own research on the tradition’s historical ties to slavery and, after discussion, our board was in full agreement with the administration that the cakewalk was not aligned with our school’s and community’s inclusive values.
“We feel we can create a really fun event that builds community and raises money for both the PTA and the eighth grade, while being culturally sensitive, without the cakewalk. We care about the entire Garrison community and want to be thoughtful about the types of events we support.”
The statement also said the PTA had discussed replacing the cakewalk with a cake-decorating contest, “but given the breadth of festivities we already had planned” — including a chili cook-off, touch-a-truck, face painting, an auction, bouncy castle and pumpkin-themed games — “we ultimately decided to forgo it entirely.”
Brandon and Sheila Williams, the parents of two Garrison School graduates and three children currently enrolled, expressed frustration at the decision. Brandon Williams suggested renaming the cakewalk after diversity, equity and inclusion. “We could call it the DEI Walk,” he said. “Why can’t we just have a Fall Festival without everyone freaking out that we’re hurting people’s feelings?”
Williams argued that the PTA version of the cakewalk is not insulting to anyone. “It’s musical chairs,” he said. “They’re walking around. When the music stops, they freeze. You call the number. If you’re on that number, you win.”
In 2022, PTO Today, a magazine for parent-teacher organizations, published a guide on how to set up a cakewalk as a carnival game but noted that “because of the history of the term cakewalk and the activities it represented, we have updated this article with the term musical cakes instead.”
Changing the name doesn’t erase its racist history. Surely the community is smart and creative enough to come up with something else! The Garrison School did the right thing.
Face painting! Touching a truck! Surely if everyone digs deep enough, we can find something negative about those, as well. Let’s get busy. There’s work to be done on this one.
As a parent of a Garrison School fourth grader chomping at the bit for a gummy-worm-laden cake and the spouse of a former Fall Fest cakewalk MC, kudos to Superintendent Greg Stowell and the PTA for their decision here and for making the decision to be thoughtful about this and how school-sponsored activities support the district’s Vision of a Graduate.
Is it, effectively, musical chairs for cake? Sure. Can it be rethought for next year in a non-reactive way, especially when people who have expressed concern have a valid, fact-based point? You bet. But to the principles of integrity and empathy, good call. Skip it a year and be thoughtful about a new or revised tradition.
It’s a privileged spot to decide what shouldn’t be offensive to others who have different experiences from your own. At a minimum, this creates a teaching opportunity for our kids to practice a little empathy and consideration at the low, low cost of some foregone carbs.
I am so glad they canceled this travesty. A chili cook-off is Mexican culture appropriation. Touch-a-truck: Are they electric or fossil-fuel burners? What kind of message does that send to youth to have them caress beasts of pollution? Bouncy castles? No doubt relating to the feudal system where they kept serfs. Silent auctions bring up visions of slave families. I’m off to have a piece of cake and maybe find something else to be offended over. You need to be vigilant. They are always trying to sneak something by us.
Respect our republic’s history, whether you like it or not. If you can’t stand it, move. Stuffing it so our next generation is stripped of the fullness of it, our history likely will repeat itself — only even more violently. It’s irresponsibility on steroids, at best. In this case, the memorialization activities seem to honor slaves at the expense of wealthy slaveholding Europeans and others who owned slaves. My best guess is it hits too close to home for some Philipstown residents whose families owned slaves and leveraged them for wealth they continue to enjoy today. They still can’t respect their former slaves who helped build their wealth, all these years later, not to mention their children.
This is not a story. [via Instagram]
Why did canceling the cakewalk bother me? I have a difficult time allowing others to define morality for me. It stinks of a hypocritical religion, dictating to others what is right and wrong. Like most people, I did not know that the cakewalk was rooted in painful history that can be seen as insensitive. I’m sure if you looked hard enough, you could uncover the echoes of injustice in almost everything we do. But if you dwell on the past to make you feel good in the present, consider that from 1619 to 1866, historians estimate that around 12 million Africans were enslaved. Today, there are an estimated 50 million slaves, including forced labor and sexual exploitation of children, in more than 167 countries, including our own. How does that affect us in Garrison? Not at all. Out of sight, out of mind. Or is it? Do you have a cellphone? Do your kids wear sneakers? Do you drive an electric car? The sad truth is that there is no way to live in modern America and not be a participant in slavery. Do we care? Not enough to stop participating. Perhaps we can fight this injustice by telling everyone that cakewalks are racist. Tell that to a 6-year-old boy in the Congo digging for the cobalt that powers the battery in your phone and electric car. I wonder if he would like to participate in the Fall Festival cakewalk? As we look back on the evils of our past,… Read more »
I had never heard of a cakewalk until I looked it up. Now knowing what it is, I would not want my children participating and no children should be. Good for the parents speaking up. [via Facebook]
The feckless superintendent capitulated to the subjective view of a parent. What leadership. [via Facebook]
Slavery has been abolished… move on! [via Facebook]
Bingo originated in Italy in the 1500s. It was a popular circus and carnival game. Has to be something that triggers someone. Cancel bingo! [via Facebook]
Ridiculous! You can find something controversial in everything. The cakewalk was always a big hit. [via Facebook]
Change the name to cake bingo. Problem solved. [via Facebook]