Royall Elementary School's principal and vice principal have resigned following backlash from a set of photos posted on the school's Facebook page which showed teachers and staff dressed as U.S. Border Patrol agents and in Mexican-inspired clothing during a school event with an Olympics theme. The school is located in Florence, South Carolina.
The resignations of Julie Smith and Marci Gatewood come three days after Superintendent Richard O'Malley announced disciplinary actions in an email to Royall parents, stating that several employees were no longer employed by the district or had been placed on leave. Specific details about the number of staff affected were not disclosed. Newsweek reports that O'Malley also included the following statement in his email:
"As superintendent, I will not tolerate anything of this nature in our school district... I want to assure the Royall Community that the school will continue to provide an exceptional education for all students, with the high expectations and excellence in student achievement that have always been provided by our staff at Royall."
The event, which was part of a professional development session, sparked controversy after the photos surfaced online. The images depicted two individuals wearing U.S. Border Patrol shirts and dark sunglasses in front of a hand-drawn brick wall. Other staff members were shown in brightly colored clothes and sombreros, posing next to a sign labeled "Royall Cantina" and a table decorated with Mexican items.
The incident drew widespread criticism on social media after the school posted the pictures on Facebook, with many calling the display racist and unacceptable. The criticism even prompted a reaction from the Florence branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), which expressed its "profound disappointment":
"These actions by school officials foster an agenda that has no place in our public schools and can only cause confusion and conflict at the school, in the community, and on social media. We deserve better from those whom we entrust our children with on a daily basis."
According to WPDE in South Carolina, Royall Elementary School also posted an apology on its Facebook page, admitting "an insensitive disregard for the current challenges our Hispanic population faces", as well as its compromise towards "celebrating the diversity of our families and ensuring that each and every student at Royall is successful, happy, and recognized for his or her unique culture and abilities."
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