A Black teenager in Oklahoma says he was both embarrassed and confused by his middle school teacher’s reaction to the t-shirt he was wearing that said, ‘Black King.’ The teacher in question proclaimed that the shirt was, itself, racist.
In a report by KFOR, 13-year-old Latrell Taft said that his teacher was more focused on his shirt than the subject she was to teach, which was science. Taft said it appeared she turned all of her attention, and that of the entire class, toward his shirt.
“She said that if she had a shirt that said ‘white queen’ it would have been racist. Then after that, she said ‘we need a white history month.’ I said, ‘black people don’t have enough recognition and we barely learn about black people in February’ at my school,” Taft said.
He later added, “I was embarrassed.”
Upon notification of the incident, the school district immediately issued the following statement:
“Edmond Public Schools is aware of an incident in a classroom at Heartland Middle School involving a district employee and a 7th-grade student who wore a t-shirt featuring an outline of Africa and the words “Black King” written on the front. Upon becoming aware of the incident, the school site and the district began a prompt investigation which is ongoing. District staff is also in contact with the parent of the student. If it is determined that the student was the target of discrimination, bullying, or racism, appropriate and swift action will be taken as required by District policy.
Since the statement was released, there has been updated reporting by KFOR and the teacher has had a meeting with the district personnel. No details have emerged regarding the outcome of the meeting.
Susan Parks-Schlepp, Director of Communications for the school district, would not comment to whether disciplinary action was taken against the teacher, but said that she remains on paid administrative leave, according to the report.
