A South Carolina elementary school is receiving criticism after staff members were spotted wearing “Border Patrol” T-shirts in photos shared on the district’s Facebook page.
According to a communication from Florence 1 Schools Superintendent Dr. Richard O’Malley, the Royall Elementary School staff members featured in the images have either been terminated or placed on administrative leave.
Florence 1 Schools initially shared the photos, which have since been removed, showing two staff members clad in gray “Border Patrol” T-shirts at a Hispanic heritage celebration event on Wednesday.
Another photo on the school’s social media highlighted staff members wearing sombreros and posing in front of a red brick wall adorned with a “Royall Cantina” sign.
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An “insensitive” social media post from Royall Elementary School led to the termination or suspension of several employees, along with changes in school leadership, as announced by district officials. (WPDE)
Dr. O’Malley acknowledged the contentious images and stated that an investigation is currently underway.
“I was informed of an inappropriate social media post on one of our school’s Facebook accounts. The content and behavior of the staff involved are inexcusable and do not reflect the values of our school or district,” O’Malley expressed.
“This matter has been thoroughly investigated, and those responsible have been held accountable for their choices. There is no tolerance for this behavior within our schools, and I will not accept it in our district.” — Dr. Richard O’Malley, Superintendent, Florence 1 Schools
O’Malley also communicated with all parents in the district, which he shared with Fox News Digital.
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An unspecified number of employees at Royall Elementary have either been dismissed or placed on administrative leave following the posting of an “inappropriate” image taken during a Hispanic heritage event, according to Superintendent Richard O’Malley. (WPDE)
“Dear Parents and Guardians of Royall, As many of you may know, an inappropriate incident took place on Wednesday morning during a professional development day at Royall before the start of the new school year. Consequently, pictures from this event were shared on the school’s Facebook page. I want to address that, due to the severity of this situation, several employees are either no longer with the district or have been placed on leave by administration. As superintendent, I will not stand for any incidents of this nature in our school district,” the letter stated.
Additionally, O’Malley announced that the district’s assistant superintendent for elementary education along with its STEM director will act as “interim administrators.”
One of the images shared on the school’s social media depicted staff wearing sombreros and other attire. (WPDE)
Royall Elementary School has also released a statement acknowledging the controversial images and extending an apology for their “insensitivity.”
“We regret to acknowledge that a photo recently posted on our Facebook page demonstrated an insensitive disregard for the challenges currently faced by our Hispanic community. At Royall, we are proud of our tradition of embracing and supporting every student who enters our doors. Our staff is wholeheartedly dedicated to celebrating the diversity within our families and ensuring every student at Royall achieves success and is recognized for their unique culture and abilities. We sincerely apologize for our insensitivity and look forward to building relationships as we enter a new school year.” — Royall Elementary School
Comments have been disabled on the school’s apology post on Facebook.
