LOS ANGELES – Three teachers at an elementary school in South Los Angeles have been suspended for honoring O.J. Simpson, Dennis Rodman and RuPaul during Black History Month.
The teachers, who are white, teach first, second and fourth grade at Wadsworth Elementary School.
They have been removed from their classrooms, according to Los Angeles school district spokeswoman Gayle Pollard-Terry.
African American leaders are demanding that the teachers be fired for what they are calling a mockery of black history month.
The teachers were asked to prepare lessons about notable African Americans for Black History month.
They chose O.J. Simpson, NBA bad boy Dennis Rodman and drag queen RuPail.
Students also had a parade to honor Black History during which they carried pictures of the three men. Other students carried photos of black heroes such as Nelson Mandela, Harriet Tubman, and President Barack Obama.
Rev. Eric Lee, president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference of greater Los Angeles, said the teachers’ choices make a mockery of black history and reinforces racial stereotypes.
“For these three teachers to come up with those names is appalling when we have a Martin Luther King, we have a Nelson Mandela and we have a president Barack Obama,” said Leon Jenkins, president of the Los Angeles NAACP.
But not all parents agree.
“As far as Dennis Rodman, he played basketball and was great at it. OJ Simpson was great at football so what they did after their careers it shouldn’t matter. These kids, it’s a part of their history,” said Sharon Tinson.
For now, all three teachers have been placed on administrative leave, pending an investigation.
L.A. Unified School District Superintendent Ramon Cortines said he has asked that the three teachers be suspended without pay.
“There are hundreds of thousands of outstanding African Americans in this city and in this nation and I want our young people to have the best models to look up to NOT ones that have questions around them,” said Cortines.
