A white substitute teacher working in Canada is under scrutiny for mocking the hair of a young black student on social media.
The sub took a picture of the back of the child’s head, and posted it beside a photo of Marlon Wayans‘ character from Don’t Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood. The caption of the picture read “Who rocked it better?? LOLOLOL.”
“You look at it, you look at the use of black stereotypes and you look at how the child is being compared to another individual in not a very nice way,” said Carla Pereira, a spokesperson for the Peel District School Board. “I think you’d be very hard-pressed to say that it’s not anti-black racism—even though that’s what we’re hearing from some members of the community who are saying it’s just a joke it’s really not racist.”
According to Toronto City News, the sub has been relieved from her duties, and is not able to be in contact with any of the students or their parents while the investigation is underway. She faces possible termination depending on the school board’s disciplinary action. The school board tweeted that they are looking at the situation is “being investigated as anti-Black racism and being taken seriously.”