Students at Barrington Middle School in Lithia, Florida, have described being “terrorized for life” after their middle school teacher hung a black baby doll by an electrical cord on her television in the classroom.
The incident was captured on video and quickly went viral online before the teacher, Karen Savage, was fired from her position at the school.
Nina Williams, mother of one student who recorded the teacher, demanded that Savage lose her teaching license and be barred from teaching in any state. “I want her teaching certificate gone,” Williams stated. “I don’t want her to be able to practice in another state. I don’t want her to be able to do what she did to my child and the other many children.”
Aracelis Perez, parent of another student who filmed the incident, added that Savage should be charged for her actions and have her teaching license revoked. “She needs to be charged for it and license removed. Not be around kids at all,” Perez said.
The school district terminated Savage on Wednesday after widespread outrage over the video. A statement from the district indicated that its counselors and administrators would remain available to meet with students who had concerns or needed support.
Hillsborough NAACP President Yvette Lewis condemned the incident, stating: “They should not have to sit in the classroom and worry if they’re going to see images that can terrorize them for life. If you don’t know your history, you’re bound to repeat it, and it was clear that this teacher did not know the history. Because if you knew your history and you knew what that meant and how it will invoke fear or intimidation to African-Americans, you would have never done it.”
Lewis further suggested that the incident might not have occurred if Florida officials had removed certain African-American history books from schools.
The district reported that the Florida Department of Education’s Office of Professional Practice Services is investigating whether Savage’s teaching certificate should be revoked. Karen Savage has not responded to requests for comment.
