US EditionPublished • loading... • Updated
Mother Demands Apology After Florida Teacher's Birthday Gesture Toward Student
Polk County Public Schools and HR are investigating after a teacher sang a birthday song with lyrics that upset a student and his mother over racial connotations.
- Legend Whitaker, a 6-year-old student at Floral Avenue Elementary in Bartow, was sung a birthday song by his teacher that included offensive lyrics on an unspecified date.
- This incident occurred because the teacher altered the 'Happy Birthday' song with hurtful words referring to Whitaker as a monkey, a label with painful racial history as explained by his mother, Desarae Prather.
- Prather received a video from the teacher showing the song being sung, prompting her to go immediately to the school's main office and demand an apology for the offensive gesture.
- Whitaker expressed that the teacher’s rendition of a birthday song, which included lyrics comparing him to a monkey and referencing a zoo, caused him emotional pain. His mother, Desarae Prather, described the words as deeply hurtful and linked them to a painful history of racist insults aimed at Black individuals.
- Polk County Public Schools, including district staff and human resources, are examining the situation while the mother continues to push for accountability regarding the emotional impact of the teacher's behavior.
Insights by Ground AI
18 Articles
18 Articles
Krem2 News+15 Reposted by 15 other sources
Mother demands apology after Florida teacher's birthday gesture toward student
Video shows the teacher singing a song to 6-year-old Legend Whitaker. His mother is demanding disciplinary action and an apology, saying the gesture was offensive.
·Spokane, United States
Read Full Article
Coverage Details
Total News Sources18
Leaning Left2Leaning Right0Center16Last UpdatedBias Distribution89% Center
Bias Distribution
- 89% of the sources are Center
89% Center
11%
C 89%
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
