The school district apologizes for Mexican stereotypes and costumes for the pillars
The head of the Idaho School District apologized on Friday. After the photo was broadcast, some of the staff in a primary school were wearing Halloween costumes depicting Mexican stereotypes, while others were decorated with the slogan of President Trump behind the side wall. The United States is great again.”
The two photos were published in several costume images on the school district’s Facebook page before being removed. One saw a group of people wearing wide-brimmed hats, ponchos and black beards; another staff member wore American patriotic equipment and stood behind a cardboard wall.
According to the Associated Press, as of Saturday, 14 staff members who participated in the photo had received paid leave.
Photographs of staff from the Middleton Heights Elementary School in Middleton, Idaho, were quickly angered by the local Hispanic community and others.
These photos exacerbate ethnic differences in a predominantly white country, but Hispanics are the largest minority. This incident also occurred when the president sparked anti-immigration hostility before the midterm elections.
When a group of teachers at the Middleton School in Idaho dressed up as a boundary wall, their slogan was “Make America Great Again.” Other teachers wear stereotyped Mexican costumes pic.twitter.com/gZwGBkGdKA
– Joe Parris (@KTVBJoe) November 2, 2018
Josh J. Middleton, head of the Middleton School District, said the school district is investigating what happened.
“Do I think this bad decision is malicious? No, I don’t,” he said in a Facebook video released on Friday. “Is the judgment involved poor? Absolutely.” He added that he “is very troubled by our staff’s decision to wear clothing that is clearly insensitive and inappropriate.”
“We are better than this,” he said. “We embrace all students. We have a responsibility to teach and reach out to all students – during the period.”