Atlanta charter school celebrates black history with blackface masks for second graders

Parents in Atlanta were shocked to learn that second-grade students made minstrel show masks to celebrate Black history.

The Kindezi School at Old Fourth Ward.

"Were the children speaking on the history of blackface (I could not hear) because if not there is a serious problem with what I saw," one parent wrote.

"A lot of the moms are pissed and some are clueless," another parent explained. "The kids are second graders."

"Kindezi Old Fourth Ward sincerely apologizes and accepts responsibility for the hurt, anger, frustration and disappointment caused by the poor judgement (sic) we made in having students use masks that mimic blackface while reciting Paul Lawrence Dunbar’s poem, We Wear the Mask at our Black History program Thursday night," the school said in a statement.

"Kindezi Old Fourth Ward is providing teacher education on cultural competency and ensuring our staff has a thorough understanding of our shared history regarding race and racism in America, and how to engage in productive conversations with our students and the community," the school promised.