Lourdes Balduque/Getty Images
Parents are reportedly pulling their children out of a Miami preschool. According to WPLG, the action comes after photos on the school’s messaging app showed children in blackface.
According to WPLG, the photos seen by parents were captioned “Black History Month” on the school’s messaging app. The preschool is located in the Little River neighborhood of Miami.
A woman named Courtney Politis explained how she learned of the photos.
One of my closest friends contacts me, whose son is in the class, and is, like, You wont believe what they just did today?
Politis saw photos of the children, as young as two years old, dressed as construction workers, police officers, and doctors. While their faces were “painted black.”
The woman responded in shock.
She told me that they painted everyones face in Blackface and said, ‘Happy Black History Month.’I was like, ‘Theres no way this is real. This cant be real.’ Then, of course, the anger and disbelief, and the heartbreak that comes from all of this.
The woman said she immediately texted the owner of the preschool.
Im like, this is racist! And she proceeds to respond back with, Im sorry? I dont understand?’… ‘What is racist? In our school we dont use this [word] (cq) neither we have this kind of mind.’
Politis said that the photos were shared on February 3rd. However, when she sat down with the preschool director the following day, her tone had a “180-degree change.”
Her tone? A 180-degree change. Super apologetic and from what I understand, she even told us that over 40 to 50 families contacted her over the weekend.
In a letter to parents, the owner wrote that they never intended to offend anyone with the photos.
We have not intended to offend anyone, and we are very sorry about any inconvenience.
However, many parents, including Politis, are not going to let the ignorant action slide.
Politis explained to the outlet that she has pulled her children out of the preschool. And other parents, who are mostly non-Black, are doing the same.
I dont have the luxury of ignorance, and Im glad that other parents are being proactive and not being part of this and hopefully for a better future for everyone.
According to WPLG, there has been no word on whether the teacher responsible for the blackface has been reprimanded. According to Fox News, the teacher is Latina.
In a separate correspondence to parents, the preschool director stated that a meeting was held with staff and teachers to reviewseveral ethical and multicultural education points.
