LITHIA, Fla. – A Hillsborough County middle school teacher has been removed from class and is under investigation after an alleged racial incident involving a black doll hanging in a classroom.
Video of the incident during an art class at Barrington Middle School in Lithia went viral on Tuesday, showing a black baby doll with a noose around its neck hanging from a TV.
The upset mother of the student who took the video contacted the school and district.
Hillsborough County Superintendent Van Ayres released a statement Tuesday afternoon saying:
“I am aware of an inappropriate and highly offensive display that took place in a classroom yesterday at Barrington Middle School. The content of this display is unacceptable and does not reflect the values of our school community, or me as your Superintendent, and will not be tolerated.
As soon as school administrators were made aware, they took immediate action and referred the matter to the district’s Office of Professional Standards. The staff member involved has been removed from the school.
We are committed to fostering a caring, supportive learning environment where every student feels respected, valued, and safe. We recognize that incidents like this cause concern among students, families, and the broader community. Please know that I take this matter extremely seriously and will continue to address it with transparency and urgency.”
District officials did not comment further on the status of the teacher.