One Florida teacher has been removed from the classroom pending an investigation following an alarming message that has sparked controversy.
According to Jacksonville.com, high school science teacher Daniel Goodman was removed from First Coast High School after scolding students over the national anthem.
A Duval County school district spokesperson told WJAX the teacher was "removed pending the outcome of a review" of the incident. Last week, as students returned back to school for the academic school year, a message of reprimand from Goodman was written on the whiteboard just three days into the year. Goodman told the news outlet that on the first couple of days of school, none of the students in his class stood for the Pledge of Allegiance.
"We had about a half million Americans die in our Civil War, which was largely to get rid of slavery. There are no longer separate water fountains and bathrooms in Jacksonville for 'white' and 'colored,'" the whiteboard message read.
Goodman’s note went on to reference slavery, Barack Obama and the high school’s Black administrators.
“We have had a Black president, the superintendent of Duval Schools is a Black woman,” the message continued.
“MY POINT? You are all extremely lucky to be living in the U.S.A.,” Goodman wrote. “If you refuse to stand during the Pledge of Allegiance or our National Anthem, are you revealing your maturity and wisdom? Actually, you are displaying the opposite (as some pampered arrogant celebrities and athletes tend to do) — Mr. G.”
According to the Florida law and the code of student conduct, students can be excused from reciting the Pledge of Allegiance and standing if the school principal has a written request from their student’s parent or legal guardian.
While WJAX claims the memo has received mixed emotions from the community, it has left several parents and students outraged.
"I felt kind of disrespected I should say," said Renard Muff, a student at First Coast High.
The message has also caused a stir across social media channels with user Kandice Knecole Clark urging for Goodman to be "held responsible" for his "reckless banter."
The controversy surrounding the national anthem was ignited when former NFL player Colin Kaepernick kneeled during the recitation of the anthem prior to games in order to draw attention to the social injustices faced by people of color. The move, which has been met with backlash, has sparked dozens of anthem protests from other players along with many student-athletes. In February, players from the Ole Miss men's basketball team kneeled during the anthem in protest of a pro-Confederacy rally.
