Second Grader Pulled Out of Class for Dressing Up in Blackface for MLK Jr. Presentation
- Posted on May 17, 2012 at 5:25pm by
Madeleine Morgenstern
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Image source: KRDO-TV
A Colorado second-grader was pulled out of class Wednesday after he showed up to give a presentation about Martin Luther King, Jr. — but with his face painted black.
KRDO-TV reported Sean King’s school project was for “wax museum day” at Meridian Ranch Elementary School in Peyton, Colo.
“He said, ‘Mom, I want to wear a black suit because that’s what he wore, a black tie, a white shirt and also I want to do my face black and wear a mustache,’” Michelle King-Roca, Sean’s mother, said.
Parents were on hand to watch the presentations, but before it was Sean’s turn, King-Roca said the principal came up to her and said Sean had to take the face paint off.
“There was a person in the faculty that had an issue with it,” King-Roca told the station. She said she and her husband ignored the request and sat waiting for their son to present.
But that‘s when the three of them were all called to the principal’s office for a discussion with school officials. King-Roca said she asked what the consequences would be if her son didn’t take the face paint off, and when she was treated rudely and couldn’t get a straight answer, decided to leave.
There were no specific costume guidelines for the project, but school spokeswoman Stephanie Meredith told KRDO the face paint violated a policy against offensive or disruptive behavior.
“When other students are offended by something, it is the principal’s role that the educational environment is safe for all students,” Meredith said.
One mother who was there for the presentations told the station that a group of parents thought it was ridiculous for Sean to be asked to remove his face paint.
“If my own son, who is blonde, was chosen to do Martin Luther King, Jr., I would have gotten him a black wig and painted his face too,” Pam Page said.
The local NAACP president said the school was right to ask Sean to take the face paint off.
“By having blackface as part of his presentation, it ended up harkening back to a really tragic time in the life of this country, a time when blackface was used by entertainers primarily to demean African-Americans,” Rosemary Harris Lytle told KRDO.
Sean said he didn’t mean to offend anyone.
“They thought it was inappropriate and it will be disrespectful to black people, and I say it’s not. I like black people. It’s just a costume, and I don’t want to insult anybody,” he said.
The school has said Sean is welcome to return.
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Comments (116)
dangmc
Posted on May 17, 2012 at 7:38pm@DuffyLucia
SPAM ALERT! SPAM ALERT! SPAM ALERT! SPAM ALERT! SPAM ALERT!
Report Post »bdandsl
Posted on May 17, 2012 at 7:22pmHow can you go through life without offending anyone? It is going to happen. Why do people feel it is more important to be PC than have morals or common sense? By the way, your being offended offends me.
Report Post »Lonescrapper
Posted on May 17, 2012 at 7:43pmYou know what this says to white kids? Don’t try to be like a black man. DOn’t venerate a black person. It is forbidden.
Report Post »Tallaron
Posted on May 17, 2012 at 8:16pmMichael Jackson tried to be white, why didn’t he get kicked out of Motown?
Report Post »jhaydeng
Posted on May 17, 2012 at 8:58pmLone, I agree! If a kid wants to emulate someone they can’t! Kids are colorblind until they hit public school! It’s a fact!!!!!!!
Report Post »woodyb
Posted on May 18, 2012 at 12:10amPC is more important than common sense because the inmates are running the asylum!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Report Post »sdrider
Posted on May 17, 2012 at 7:16pmJust another example of liberal PC stupidity.
Report Post »nelbert
Posted on May 17, 2012 at 9:31pmGood God, how ridiculous this world has gotten. And any school administrator who can’t do better at handling a situation than this should be fired.
Report Post »andredegas
Posted on May 17, 2012 at 7:10pmBlack face was used to “imitate” black people, not necessarliy to make fun of them.
Report Post »(African Americans can be white in color or brown or even yellow. African-American is a term used to denote where you were born BEFORE coming to America. ie Italian-American, Irish-American etc.)
mrsmileyface
Posted on May 17, 2012 at 7:02pmHOLD ON Hold ON! lemme get this straight…….Its ok for Eddie Murphy to put on “White Face” and play an elderly jewish man BUT its not ok for this kid to do “Black Face” Just like Al Jolson did back in the 20′s, for a tribute to MLK. Double standard anyone. You go kid.
Report Post »hogtrashhd
Posted on May 17, 2012 at 6:32pmblacks are sooooo sensitive.. but not when they’re killing each other huh… they’re daisys… everyone has to learn to ignore them for everything.. let them celebrate all the communists in their communities and kill each other all they want..this country definitely doesn’t need any one of them.. they are like an albatross around this country’s neck. they need to go back to the countries they came from and eat their dirt cookies and like it..
Report Post »jackact
Posted on May 17, 2012 at 6:26pmShould taxpayers follow this public education principal’s lead and remove all their children from the public school systems in order to prevent further sexual molestation as administered by government employees on our children
Report Post »Restored One
Posted on May 17, 2012 at 6:43pmLike second graders or even some of their parents even know about this history of Black Face, yeah right. That is ridiculous. It was obviously a teacher that was supposedly offended. Now I know many of you do not like Whoopi G, but this has been an issue with her for years and got in trouble for a similiar incident. I would love for her to come out and slam this Principal. The fact that this kid even accepted this assignment should be comended and put the effort into it to portray it with actual relatable props. Of course my daughter has her American heroes presentation next week, she is Annie Oakley and they did specify not guns for props. Kind of ruins the whole affect.
Report Post »CatB
Posted on May 17, 2012 at 7:09pm@RESTORED … make sure she doesn’t make her finger into a gun .. wouldn’t want anyone to feel threatened .. how do you “explain” Annie Oakley without a gun? Can she say how well she could shoot .. If so I would get “shoot” in there every chance I got. Progressives are getting exactly what they want with this P.C. crap .. we are losing our history!
OMG 2012 .. .LIBERTY!
Report Post »Doctor Nordo
Posted on May 17, 2012 at 6:25pm“When other students are offended by something, it is the principal’s role that the educational environment is safe for all students,” Meredith said.
Safe from what?! From being offended? That’s not the job of the schools. As a matter of fact since the school system is meant to prepare young people for adulthood, and offense is going to happen at some point during adulthood, it stands to reason that you shouldn’t shield from offense. Get them used to it!
That being said, it’s ridiculous to be offended by this use of blackface just because some people a hundred years ago used it to demean people. It’s a tool. Volkswagen is a company that was formed from the Nazi Party, and I think we can all agree that the Nazis did some pretty rude things, but you wouldn’t condemn people for driving their VW Beetle 70 years later even though it has a dark origin! C’mon, people!
PC run amok!
Report Post »TurboCat
Posted on May 18, 2012 at 3:54am“Make sure that the educational environment is safe” . Typical lefty-speak. Sounds as wussy as their other favorite thing to say: “Inappropriate.“ As in ”Johnny why did you shoot that other kid? That is inappropriate!”.
Report Post »mensa141
Posted on May 17, 2012 at 6:15pmI am offended by gays. They should be expelled. We are either going to be tolerant or we are not. Make up your little minds.
Report Post »charles116
Posted on May 17, 2012 at 7:02pmHandsome men offend you?
Report Post »You must look like Limbaugh.
Inlightofthings
Posted on May 17, 2012 at 8:13pmCHARLES:
Stereotype, you do….
Report Post »tropolis
Posted on May 17, 2012 at 6:01pmThey should have had a black student do it.
Report Post »TheSoberEye
Posted on May 17, 2012 at 6:53pmI live in Colorado, I believe Peyton has a population of less than 500.Doubt if many blacks live there. I do not know for sure, as I have not been to that city.
Report Post »charles116
Posted on May 17, 2012 at 7:03pmThe whole thing was a stunt if you asked me.
Report Post »I know it’s Colorado, but folks know better.
misterswife
Posted on May 17, 2012 at 5:59pmThere is no possible way this kid ( or probably even his parents) and most of the staff or any of the students to have known why it is frowned upon to do “black face” The kid wasn’t mocking, trying to tap dance, or humilate anyone.. He was dressed in costume.. My kids did the same with Lief Erickson day. ( hope their tunicks and horned hat didn’t offend….) Imitation is the highest praise..
Report Post »wianno94
Posted on May 17, 2012 at 5:58pm“When other students are offended by something, it is the principal’s role that the educational environment is safe for all students,” Meredith said.
“There was a person in the faculty that had an issue with it,” King-Roca told the station.
Well, who was offended, a student or a teacher?
Report Post »wisehiney
Posted on May 17, 2012 at 5:55pmKid should have consulted with “tanning mama”.
Report Post »Thatswhatshesaid
Posted on May 17, 2012 at 9:46pmLol
Report Post »BradLee
Posted on May 17, 2012 at 5:50pmI would have had him re-enact the truth about the fake reverend and had him sleeping with prostitutes on stage while submitting essays that he didn’t write.
Report Post »tropolis
Posted on May 17, 2012 at 5:49pmThat white is an insult to Dr. King. Can’t believe he made a mockery out of him like that.
Report Post »conservredneck
Posted on May 17, 2012 at 6:04pmyou can’t be serious.
Report Post »DocScience
Posted on May 17, 2012 at 6:33pmLook in the mirror and see what you have become.
The child was imitating in admiration of a great, yet imperfect, man… and you are too hate filled to see it.
Report Post »bigdaddyt46
Posted on May 18, 2012 at 9:55amso it’s ok for black comedians to put on white faces? Eddie Murphy was not the only one to do it.
Report Post »the Wayans brothers(even made the derogotory titled movie white chicks), David Chapelle did it several times. the list is alot longer then you think. that’s ok to you, but a white kid given an assignment he really liked, and wanted to emulate him the best he could with the extra effort to try to look like him. no disrespect, no hatred, or anything of the such. i can‘t decide if you’re a hypocrit, or just plain stupid.
auntbea
Posted on May 17, 2012 at 5:48pmPolitical correctness is fascism. Polictical correctness is tyranny. Political correctness has no place in America.
Report Post »BD Maghead
Posted on May 17, 2012 at 5:52pmSo totally concur @auntbea.
Report Post »Mutiny
Posted on May 17, 2012 at 5:45pmYou never hear any complaints about SNL when Fred Armisen darkens his face for the Obama bits. Its typical liberal garbage. I get there arent a lot of black people in Colorado but if you arent going to allow an accurate picture maybe MLK shouldnt be on the list for kids to be.
Report Post »Thatswhatshesaid
Posted on May 17, 2012 at 9:44pmIt‘s so sad that we’ve come to this, we’re not evolving. I have to agree, if you are honoring someone but dressing up like them MIGHT offend someone, then don’t honor them at all -take that person off the list. I wonder what would have happened if a black kid dressed up like George Washinington painting his face white?
Report Post »Kulprit
Posted on May 17, 2012 at 5:44pmWonder what would have happened if it was a black kid with “whiteface”…
Report Post »CatB
Posted on May 17, 2012 at 5:54pmHe would make a few million dollars … at least .
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0381707/
Report Post »Ming The Merciless
Posted on May 17, 2012 at 6:05pmSounds like Eddie Murphy in his SNL days.
Report Post »DisillusionedNoMore
Posted on May 17, 2012 at 6:07pmThis reverse racism is getting OLD. When the Wayan’s Brothers wore white face it was funny in White Chicks, but this boy was trying to do an hones presentation and dressed the part and people take offense. I am sooo over all this! It is beyond ridiculous. When I was assigned to do a presentation in elementary school on Elanor Roosevelt in 2nd grade I wore an “old lady” wig. I imagine these days that would offend someone too!
Report Post »cemerius
Posted on May 17, 2012 at 5:41pmSilly boy, blacks do NOT need anyone trying to live in their shoes!
Report Post »wordweaver
Posted on May 17, 2012 at 5:41pmWhat we are seeing over and over in public schools today is administrators who are hyper-sensitive to political correctness to the extent that when something as wholesome and innocuous like this comes along, they freak out before they engage their brain and realize that this kid was being respectful to Dr. King and wanted to portray him accurately on stage. Over and over we are seeing an inability to critically think through an issue and a lack of courage to stand firm on matters because they are right, even though it may invite criticism. It is disappointing that we have such spineless folks running schools.
Report Post »bayoucastine
Posted on May 18, 2012 at 8:32amWordweaver, I have come to believe these ‘educators’ who take this kind of action with no critical thought process are prime examples of what Government School ‘education’ accomplishes. If you have a child in a Government School take the child out of that environment and put him/her into a private or home school situation. Save the child.
Report Post »mike_trivisonno
Posted on May 18, 2012 at 9:30amThe Federal Department of Education has as a main goal, the division of the child from the parent. They do this through unending propaganda, political correctness, and contradiction in word and deed. It is done by design so that the “educated” are more amendable to living in poverty to support the government bureaucrats, most of whom are dedicated communists hell bent on destroying America.
It is by design. Shut the the Federal Department of Education.
Report Post »Conservative AMERICA
Posted on May 17, 2012 at 5:40pmPunish one to educate 100, Mao would be proud of Americas communist teachers!
It is time to act NOW! Intimidating and brainwashing innocent children with marxist propaganda is a crime, anywhere, anytime! Most of todays teachers belong behind bars!
Report Post »mycomet123
Posted on May 17, 2012 at 5:36pmThis is such BS! I‘m sure if little Sean dresed up as a condom they wouldn’t have a problem with it!
Report Post »kaydeebeau
Posted on May 17, 2012 at 5:34pm“When other students are offended by something, it is the principal’s role that the educational environment is safe for all students,” Meredith said
Where has it ever been written that people have the right to not be offended. Grow up and quit being so thinned skinned
Report Post »CatB
Posted on May 17, 2012 at 5:43pmI wonder if any would be “offended” by this … and you are 100% correct .. you have no “right” not to be offended .. and if you are .. then take YOURSELF out of the situation.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0381707/
Report Post »clockwatcher
Posted on May 17, 2012 at 5:34pmThe left is nuts and overwhelmed with hate. Is nothing just a plan simple innocent presentation?
Report Post »Mutiny
Posted on May 17, 2012 at 5:32pmEnjoy your pc liberal crap fest. In no way would I have taken my son home. Was the child doing it to be mean? NO!!! He is trying to give an accurate image of the person he is portraying.
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