Flint school district forces radio host off the air.

Edumacation: A version of the math test usually geared to mocking certain races. This time it mocked an entire district. The station management folded like a cheap suit.

The management at WHNN-FM, 96.1, was backpedaling after an apparent joke went awry, and popular morning personality Johnnie Burke is paying the price. In a concise but contrite message, the Saginaw station's leaders offered their ''sincere apologies'' for offending students, parents and staff of Flint Community Schools. They also suspended Burke, who did not comment on the advice of his attorney. At the crux of the controversy is a bogus ''practical math'' test posted on the station's Web site in September. The ''test'' includes 10 spoof story problems, but instead of asking about the proverbial trains leaving Chicago, the questions ask test takers to calculate math in the context of drive-by shootings, drug deals, prostitution and similar crimes. The comment ''Flint schools are finally starting to teach practical math'' prefaced the posting and drew angry reactions from some Flint school leaders. ''We do not consider this a laughing matter,'' Vera J. Perry, president of the Flint Board of Education, said at a Wednesday press conference. Perry called the fake test ''highly offensive'' to the Flint community. ''The management of WHNN would like to offer sincere apologies,'' the station's message reads. ''It was not the intent to embarrass any children, teachers or staff of the Flint Community Schools.''