‘She Sang That on Purpose’: White Teacher Sings Happy Birthday to Black Boy But the Second Tribute Song Sparks Outrage and a District Investigation
A video showing a teacher singing a version of the "Happy Birthday" song to a Black child that includes the lyrics, "You look like a monkey, and you smell like one too," is going viral and garnering mixed reactions online. The clip shows a 6-year-old Black elementary schooler named Legend surrounded by his white classmates as the teacher leads the class into singing the classic "Happy Birthday" song. Immediately after they finish, the teacher asks Legend, "Would you like the funny song now that I sing to you?" A video of a birthday tribute to a little boy went viral online because of the lyrics. (Photo: TikTok/ Zettaloaf) Legend eagerly nods his head, and the teacher launches into the "funny song" in a jazzy, upbeat style. "Happy Birthday to you, you live in a zoo. You look like a monkey, and you smell like one, too. Whoo!" she sings while chuckling. ‘You Can Cancel Me’: Texas Man Turns on Waterworks After He’s Caught Photographing Black Man Studying At His Apartment Complex The clip ends after the teacher encourages her class to clap for Legend. The incident reportedly took place at Floral Elementary School in Bartow, Florida. The boy's mother, Desarae Prather, told The Lakeland Ledger that the teacher is white. The school district is reviewing the video. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Atlanta Black Star (@atlblackstar) The video has been widely reshared on social media, earning millions of views. Many viewers were convinced the teacher had racial motivations by singing the second version of the song to what appears to be one of her only Black students. "This is not acceptable," one person wrote. "She sang that on purpose! U can't tell me different!!!!" another comment read. Others noted that the version was sung in the 2005 DreamWorks animated film, "Madagascar," and believed the teacher was reciting it out with no ill intentions. "Am I tweaking or is that not a common song idk," one TikTok user commented. "That song is from Madagascar. She didn't mean anything by it," another person added. Some viewers thought that even if she meant no harm, her choice of song, as well as her decision to film and post it online, was in poor taste in today's social climate. "This may be an old song but with the tension of the world today she could have kept this one out," one person commented. "👏🏽Madagascar👏🏽was👏🏽A MOVIE, ABOUT ANIMALS, not humans ... Say what you want, she knew what she was doing and so did those little brown faces looking back at her," another person added. "Yeah no, as a teacher myself we are called to be culturally sensitive. To film it, share, AND work with children she definitely knew what she was doing. She doesn't need to be fired but she should know better," another comment read. https://www.tiktok.com/@yoadriennesellshomes/video/7556062744752016670?_r1&_tZP-90Bo1kt7aik
