As reported earlier, an elementary school in Los Angeles, comprised of mainly hispanics, offended many with their choice of honorees (Simpson, Rupaul, Rodman) in a black history month honor parade. The principal of a of that school is now apologizing for the “poor judgment.”
“Unfortunately, questionable decisions were made in the selection of noteworthy African-American role models,” Lorraine Abner wrote Thursday in a letter sent to parents of students at Wadsworth Avenue Elementary School.
“As the principal, I offer my apology for these errors in judgment,” she wrote.
The school is now vowing to work with the district’s Office of Human Relations, Diversity and Equity to help students and adults learn from the experience, the letter said.
During the Feb. 26 parade in the school playground, some students, third graders, were encouraged to carry photos of the three questionable figures, while others displayed more conventional role models such as President Barack Obama and the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.
The three teachers involved — all white men whose names have not been released – were suspended without pay for three days and are now on paid administrative leave while the Los Angeles Unified School District investigates the incident, according to reports.
The district is investigating “why the teachers believed these were appropriate instructional choices for first-, second- and fourth-graders,” district spokesperson Pollard-Terry said.
The principal has accepted responsibility as well and could face discipline, Pollard-Terry added.
The issue was brought to the attention of district officials by the Los Angeles chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People after the organization received a complaint Monday. -gerald radford
