Teens from Booker T. Washington High School in Norfolk, Virginia walked out of class on Monday to protest a school official’s tweet that referred to young black men as a “nightmare” for white fathers. The assistant principal, Amy Strickland, is a former teacher of the year.
The tweet included an image of seven teen couples wearing prom attire. All of the young men were black, all of the young women were white. The image, which Strickland retweeted from the @OrNahhTweets account, was labeled “every white girl’s father’s worst nightmare or not.”
The post originated in June but was just noticed by students, who last week brought it to the attention of school officials. Strickland has not apologized or been disciplined, nor has the school board responded to the high schoolers’ complaints. In protest, a dozen offended black teenagers walked out of class Monday.
“This was the only actual way we could get someone’s attention, was to walk outside. It shouldn’t have come to this, but [the administrator has] avoided all meetings and public speakings and emails, just avoided them all,” said student Michael Lemelle.
“Me being a young African-American, I don’t think of myself as anyone’s worst nightmare,” he explained.
Norfolk Branch NAACP President Joe Dillard released a statement condemning Strickland’s tweet and demanding accountability. “We will not tolerate racism in this city and definitely not in the education system,” he wrote.
–By Colby Carrington