The decision by a school board to retain dance teacher Damon Keller, who repeatedly called in sick to teach private dance lessons, has sent the internet into a frenzied debate about racism and privilege.
A Very Good Dance Teacher
Despite a history of disciplinary issues, the teacher in question – Damon Keller – was allowed to keep his job at Ockley Green Middle School after feigning sickness on multiple occasions. Keller’s students have gone on to dance for the likes of Rihanna and Beyoncé. In April, when he was initially fired before being reinstated, many walked out in protest.
Private Dance Lessons
After being informed his contract wouldn’t allow him to take Wednesdays off to teach private lessons, Keller reportedly rang in sick on the day multiple times. The teacher also allegedly called in sick after his request for paid leave to judge a dance contest was declined. Reportedly, he was present at the contest.
He Was Fired
Headteacher Julie Rierson and Superintendent Guadalupe Guerrero moved to fire Keller in April, However, not all board members agreed with the decision. Keller is Black and some people thought his firing might come from a place of racism. Moreover, the district had allegedly been keeping an eye on him for years.
They’d Been Waiting for Him to Mess Up
The board voted for Keller to keep his job. Michelle DePass, a member, said: “The district has been documenting Keller for eight years. They’ve been waiting for him to mess up. I have never experienced a White person being scrutinized like that over that length of time. We shouldn’t hold Black people to a higher standard of conduct than everyone else.”
Keller Was Undoubtedly in the Wrong
Keller’s feigning of sickness was undoubtedly wrong and DePass wasn’t denying that. Her concern was that the school district had allegedly been keeping a closer eye on the dance teacher than it had anyone else, presumably looking for a reason to fire him over his race.
Keller Didn’t Get Away With It
Despite keeping his job, Keller won’t walk away unpunished. He’ll be disciplined over his absences, although details of his punishment have not yet been shared. As previously mentioned, Keller’s students were distraught by his initial firing and staged a walkout to protest against losing one of the only Black teachers at the school. As such, they’ll undoubtedly be delighted to have him back.
Online Commenters Were Divided
The story was shared across social media and online commenters were divided. “It is not a race issue. It’s an alleged performance issue. Why do people automatically throw a race card when the offender is a minority,” one person wrote. “The world is more nuanced than that,” another hit back.
Others Defended Keller
Plenty of commenters defended Keller and many pointed out that other teachers, regardless of race, often get away with falsely calling in sick too. One person wrote: “I know of teachers who took off to go to the golf course. If he’s that talented and makes a name for students and the school, it’s a good thing the school board weighed in on that.”
Others Weren’t So Forgiving
Some commenters weren’t so forgiving of Keller’s behavior. “Any other teacher would have been fired. Period,” one person wrote. “I don’t think they would have. They said the whole reason he hasn’t been fired is because the school board literally targeted him for years because of his race and they found that problematic.”
Some Suggested Docking the Teacher’s Pay
Some online commenters, while feeling the teacher should have been fired, suggested docking his pay. “His behavior is not acceptable as a contracted teacher. He should be fired. Dock his pay for days off he was not sick,” one individual wrote. “I want to know how he’s getting punished. Are they docking his pay? Does he need to pick up extra duties? How’s he being punished?” another said.
Teachers Are Underpaid
Some commenters were frustrated with those attacking the teacher. “Reading all these comments is so frustrating. This is complicated; it’s not a black-and-white case. Yes, this teacher did wrong. But he was targeted by the school board for his race. Also, if teachers were paid more, maybe he wouldn’t need a side hustle. Just saying,” one person wrote.
Others Found the Debate Tiring
Some commenters found the debate around the story exhausting. One person wrote: “Misconduct? He simply has an attendance problem. Hardly what I would call misconduct. Yes, he should have been fired. No, he was not and it was probably due to the color of his skin – or possibly because he is actually very good at what he does and students like him.”
“This Lake is For Residents Only” Company Sacks Worker After She Questions Black Fisherman in Viral TikTok
Tanya, who was formerly an independent contractor, found herself in hot water when she appeared in a TikTok video that quickly gained widespread attention. Her actions in this viral video led to a shocking conclusion – the loss of her job.
“Men Can’t Give Birth”: Transgender Man Proves Transphobes Wrong and Gives Birth to Daughter
Upon discovering his partner couldn’t have children, Caleb – a transgender man from the UK – paused his transition to become pregnant.
“Men Can’t Give Birth”: Transgender Man Proves Transphobes Wrong and Gives Birth to Daughter
“If He Thinks He’ll Be Able to Talk to You, He’s Way More Likely to Leave You Alone”: Woman Obtains Fake Phone Number to Trick Men
A woman on TikTok has shared a trick she uses to fool men into thinking they have her number.
“It’s Like the World Thinks Dads Are Children”: Mom Slams Hypocrisy as Husband’s Parenting Wins Praise for Taking Kids Out of the House
Emily Belson, a mother from Maryland, recently posted a TikTok criticizing the double standards when it comes to parenting.