Teacher forced to take down Colin Kaepernick tribute for Black History Month following complaints

A Florida high school teacher chose to honor Colin Kaepernick for Black History Month — but was forced to take down her tribute just days later after complaints, local outlet WINK News reports.

Jaidyn Etheart, a student at Port Charlotte High School in Port Charlotte, Fla., shared footage of math teacher Alissa Perry regretfully removing her door decoration, which featured the athlete and activist taking a knee in his old San Francisco 49ers uniform. Kaepernick has not been signed to an NFL team following uproar over him protesting police brutality against people of color during the national anthem.

Etheart told WINK News that she blames other students who allegedly called the poster “offensive.” Another student tweeted that a “white teacher” was behind its removal.

But school district officials say that parents were also flooding their office to object to the Kaepernick tribute. They also identified Perry as a substitute teacher.

“The reason school leadership asked the substitute to take down the poster was because it was causing a disruption at the school,” Mike Riley, Charlotte County School District spokesperson, told Yahoo Lifestyle.

“While the students and sub were putting the poster up, some students took pictures and posted them to social media sites. Calls from parents and community members were overwhelming the school and considered to be a disturbance to the operation of the school day. At that time school leadership asked the substitute to remove the poster. She in turn took pictures and videos of the removal.

“Our schools are a microcosm of our society. As divided as our nation was over Colin Kaepernick kneeling during the national anthem, this in turn played down into the school. If we had left it up half the people would be mad, and since we took it down the other half of people are mad. I don’t think we could’ve really pleased anyone. Once it was taken down and posted on social media, calls supporting the poster obviously began.”

Etheart told WINK News that she disagreed with the school’s decision.

“They [school district] cracked under pressure,” the junior said. “I don’t think that a few people’s opinion should be able to take away something that meant a lot to a lot of people.”

The incident is getting national attention, with Kaepernick himself retweeting Etheart’s video. Many commenters voiced their outrage.

It’s the second time Kaepernick has been notably snubbed for Black History Month this year. GOP lawmakers in Wisconsin demanded that his name be removed from a resolution honoring Black History Month, which critics called a “slap in the face.”

Yahoo Lifestyle has contacted Etheart and the school district for comment.

Read more from Yahoo Lifestyle:

• Middle school’s ‘social experiment’ for Black History Month sparked bullying, says angry mother

• Cardi B declined Super Bowl halftime show performance to ‘stand behind’ Colin Kaepernick

• Virginia first lady under fire for handing cotton to black students during tour of residence’s slave quarters

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