Oklahoma Teacher Who Called Student’s “Black King” T-Shirt Racist Placed On Leave

An Oklahoma teacher has been placed on paid administrative leave after chastising a 7th-grade student for wearing a “Black King” t-shirt, calling it racist.

According to KFOR, Edmond Public School District officials in Oklahoma met with the teacher on February 25 about the incident, but they have not shared whether or not any disciplinary action will be taken against the educator.

“Edmond Public Schools district administrators met this afternoon… with a Heartland Middle School teacher at the center of a complaint,” Susan Parks-Schlepp, the director of communications for the school district, said in a statement.

“The district recognizes the public’s desire for a quick resolution to this issue. However, it’s important to note that employees have fundamental rights to ensure fairness when they are the subject of a complaint. Those rights include an option for the teacher to respond to and contest any recommended disciplinary action,” Park-Schlepp continued.

The 7th grader, Latrell Taft, claims his teacher abruptly stopped teaching the class to chastise his “Black King” t-shirt, which he was given as a birthday present. The t-shirt included an outline of Africa and allegedly offended the teacher who called it “racist.”