Preschool Shuts Down After ‘Celebrating’ Black History Month With Blackface
A preschool in Massachusetts has shut down after toddlers used blackface to celebrate Black History Month.
According to the Associated Press, the incident happened at IC Kids in Newton, Massachusetts as “research for toddler curriculum.” A teacher had children paint black faces on paper plates and held them to their faces to “celebrate” Black History Month.
When a parent learned of the incident, she pulled her child out of the school, which has now temporarily shut down.
A statement from IC Kids on Facebook read, “Considering of protests [sic] happening at the center that will put the children at risk, in the need, we are closing the ICKids daycare at this time. Families will be provided with a list of child care centers in the area so that they can immediately receive care for their child/children.”
Nadirah Pierce, a mother of a child at the preschool, told WBTS-CD, “This is unacceptable and don’t really understand the concept of this project. The apology received was empty and then to go onto Facebook and see that apology was disheartening.”
The teacher was originally reprimanded but has now been fired.
