The Royall Elementary School in South Carolina is under fire after controversial pictures of staff members wearing “Border Patrol” T-shirts surfaced on the district’s Facebook page. The images, which have since been taken down, showed staff members participating in a Hispanic heritage celebration event, with some wearing sombreros and standing in front of a red brick wall with a “Royall Cantina” sign.
Following the backlash, Florence 1 Schools Superintendent Dr. Richard O’Malley announced that the staff members involved in the photos have been fired or placed on administrative leave. O’Malley issued a statement condemning the actions of the staff members, calling their behavior “inexcusable” and not representative of the school or the district as a whole.
In a letter to parents, O’Malley expressed his disappointment in the incident and assured that those responsible have been held accountable. He also announced that the district’s assistant superintendent of elementary education and STEM director would serve as acting administrators in light of the situation.
Royall Elementary School also issued an apology, acknowledging the insensitivity of the photos and expressing regret for their actions. The school emphasized its commitment to celebrating diversity and supporting all students, promising to foster relationships as they begin a new school year.
The comments on the school’s apology post have been turned off on Facebook, as the community continues to process the fallout from the controversial images.
