Texas Teacher Suspended After ‘Staged Photo’ With Foot On Black Student’s Neck Went Viral

Barely a few hours after the Derek Chauvin guilty verdict, Texas officials reported a triggering instance outside Dallas. A schoolteacher of Greenville Independent School District was taken to task, and suspended after a “staged photo” that showed her foot pressed against the neck of a Black student lying on the pavment, made the rounds. The teacher, whose identity remains to be undisclosed, was chided for her brutality.

The photograph came to the notice of law enforcement officials after it was shared multiple times on Facebook Tuesday. Soon, the controversy came to the notice of Demetrus Liggins, the district’s superintendent, who termed the photo “inappropriate”. “That happened this morning,” said Liggins on Wednesday, as cited in Herald Banner. He however, refused to divulge further details pertaining to what could’ve led to the act.

A further probe is likely to be underway, as Liggins maintained that the district’s Human Resources Department would be investigating the case. The district however declined to comment.

On the other hand, the boy’s family spoke with the media. The father averred that the photo was disturbing, but the boy’s mother—who reportedly knew the teacher for years—said the teacher had texted them the photo in a lighter vein, according to Fox News.

The teacher allegedly warned the boy to be more focused and that he’d end up with her foot on his neck if he defaulted on the assignment’s deadline.

The picture sparked up a mammoth rage of sorts after it bore an eerie resemblance to the Derek Chauvin- George Floyd incident. Chauvin is the first white police officer to be convicted of murder in Minnesota. He was found guilty of second-degree murder, third-degree murder, and second-degree manslaughter in Floyd’s death after nearly 10 hours of deliberation. The spine-chilling incident saw several global figures voicing their stance in the fight for justice in Floyd’s killing while being in police custody in May last year.

Floyd’s last words, “I can’t breathe” serves as a constant reminder of the heart-wrenching racial attack incident. His death highlighted police brutality and the extremity of aggression meted out to individuals of color, and the dire need for stringent punishments in cases like these.