Remember back in the day in grade school when you had to present a report or even dress like a famous historical figure? The tradition continues, but one Colorado student took the practice of theatrical costume and make-up too far.
Or did he?
Sean King, a second-grader at Meridian Ranch Elementary School, could not understand why he landed in trouble for dressing up like Martin Luther King Jr. He wore a black suit, shirt, tie and even a mustache.
So what is the big deal?
Maybe it had something to do with Sean, who is Caucasian, also showing up with his face painted black.
Holy Bamboozled, Batman!
Sean was participating in “wax museum day,” where students were asked to dress up like historical characters for a school program. (I grew up in the inner city, so the equivalent for us would be Halloween….lol.) Sean showed up with his parents, but before the program started, he was approached by the school’s principal, Erica Mason, and asked to wash his face.
Young Sean said that the school officials were “mean” to him and his family, and that they made his mother cry. (They made his mother cry? How sad because some of the other parents were ready to give her something to really cry about.) Sean and his family, including his crying mother, now want an apology from the school for the way officials handled the situation.
The situation?
Your child did not show up wearing an “I’m with stupid” T-shirt. He showed up in 'blackface.' Hello!
We have to put this in context. Sean is an 8-year-old-boy who didn’t know any better, but what about his grown-a parents?
You helped your child design and pick out an outfit to honor one of the most famous and influential African-American figures in our history but nothing seemed odd to you about capping off his costume with a coat of black face paint?
Remember guys, this is a second grader.
He went on to say, "I like black people. It's just a costume, and I don't want to insult anybody."
I do believe that Sean meant no insult. He is a child with limited ability to process complex ideas of race, class and historical references of bigotry. The same, however, cannot be said of his parents.
I am reminded of Spike Lee’s film “Malcolm X,” where young people from all over the world of various races and backgrounds stood up proudly and declared “I am Malcolm X!” They were identifying with all the admirable qualities of Malcolm X as a hero and leader.
Are Sean’s parents so clueless that they could not use the opportunity as a teachable moment to talk to Sean about how he does not have to literally portray a historical figure and hero? Could they not explain to him how you can represent and speak about the universal and admirable qualities of King without showing up in 'blackface?'
What if Sean wanted to represent Coretta Scott King? Would they have let him leave the house in a Madea-inspired civil rights drag ensemble, including matching handbag and sensible marching shoes with a kitten heel?
When I was little, I often pretended to be a myriad of comic book figures, including Superman, Batman and Spiderman, but I did not feel that I had to paint my face white to embody the powers and qualities I admired in those heroes.
The sad part is that the parents totally missed the point of King and what he believed to be true:
“I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.”
Sean’s parents missed an opportunity to teach their son that he could honor and embody the spirit and principles by which King lived, regardless of his gender, class or painted black face.
I know I am reallll late posting on this blog but here it is.... The parents may not have the education or age that would enable them to use the teachable moment.
As you are aware many elementary school children have parents that are not much more than children themselves.
In a different blog you noted the immaturity of the fella that used painters tape on his toddler then posted his foolishness to Facebook.
Maybe not the same but very similar.
Posted by: Adrienne Comegys | 12/31/2012 at 08:07 AM