Candice Reed, a math teacher at John W. North High School in Riverside Unified School District, California, has been suspended.
The educator was featured in a viral video doing a dance and circling her desk accompanied by fake tomahawk chants to imitate Native Americans.
The brief clip was filmed by a Native American student who found what the teacher was doing offensive, demeaning and demanded that measures be taken.
It has since been revealed that this is not the first time Candice Reed has taken part in a “completely unacceptable and offensive depiction” of Native Americans with her actions to get students to memorize a mnemonic related to trigonometric functions.
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Yesterday a Native American student filmed this video in his Math class. After several minutes of the teacher “war hooping & tomahawk chopping” the student began filming because he, “felt that violence was being committed against him and he had the right to record.” pic.twitter.com/4zvFS6JfPw— Iviviq ᐃᕕᕕᖅ ❄️ (@UrbanInuk) October 21, 2021
In the video that surfaced on TikTok and Instagram on Wednesday, Reed could be seen wearing a fake Native American headdress while chanting and dancing around the classroom.
Candice Reed decided to holler “SOH CAH TOA” and stomp around, believing it was a great system to help her students remember trigonometric principles.
The Southern California high school teacher was exposed by Akalei Brown, who described herself as a Taos-Kanaka Maoli, historian, and advocate.
John W. North High School shared this from a 2012 yearbook. This teacher Candice Reed has been doing this for awhile now. CLEARLY the school was fully aware of what she’s been doing and fully approved of this mockery. This is 2021 & we will find the truth to your lies. pic.twitter.com/aPfcqQunY4
— Tyonie Tiel (@TyonieT) October 21, 2021
Brown explained that the unnamed student asked that the footage be posted on social media because it is time to end the “discrimination against indigenous people.”
A recording of one of our teachers has been widely circulated on social media. Click here for RUSD’s statement: https://t.co/P6nID4cMo3 pic.twitter.com/REemTRN6e8
— Riverside Unified School District (@RiversideUSD) October 21, 2021
A yearbook photo of the teacher taken in 2012 has been shared on social media. Candice Reed wore a nearly identical headdress, and she explained her decision to mimic Native Americans during her math lessons by saying: “I find that if I tell them a story using math along the way, it’s like a memory device’! It just may stick with them forever.”
Teachers try many tactics to help children learn hard concepts. No one is perfect. I know it's not going to be popular comment. I do not mean to hurt or offend any one. Being offended is a choice. Let's choose to understand, and communicate rather than be offended.
— Noseywifey (@noseywifey) October 21, 2021
The Riverside Unified School District issued a statement saying that that they disapprove of Reed’s actions and added: “The Riverside Unified School District values diversity, equity, and inclusion and does not condone behavior against these values. We are deeply committed to implementing inclusive practices and policies that honor the rich diversity of our district and the greater region. We will be working with our students, families, staff, and community to regain your trust.”
If you can't teach lessons without offending others' cultures maybe teaching is not the job for you. You wouldn't feel honored if she mocked Christian practices in such a manner. Plenty of Natives have a PhD in math without having their entire culture denigrated.
— Glenn Hunt (@DarkWaterSon) October 22, 2021
The district has revealed that they are investigating the matter. Candice Reed’s video led to protests and an eight-hour board meeting where parents, former and current students, and community leaders discussed the issue.
People online have weighed in on Reed’s case, with some applauding her dedication to having creative methods to reach her students, while others unequivocally called her racist.
