15 Nov Blackface Controversy Shows Antioch Community Needs More Empathy

A teacher at Sutter Elementary in Antioch was placed on leave because of her Halloween costume. (Arionna White / The CC Pulse)

Commentary, Arionna White

An Antioch teacher is on administrative leave from Sutter Elementary School after being called out for blackface due to the costume she wore for the school’s Halloween parade. 

The teacher in question wore a version of Scooby-Doo’s famous Mystery Machine van with her face painted black and a moon on top of her head. (Images of the teacher in the costume are shown in video from NBC Bay Area.) In her view, it was to showcase her being the night, hence the addition of the moon. Many parents have been in complete support of the teachers action’s and have been flooding online to state that they felt she was not trying to cause any harm and that anyone offended is being too sensitive. 

Blackface became popular in the U.S. in the 19th century with the rise of minstrel shows, which relied on negative stereotypes of African Americans. White performers darkened their skin with substances such as shoe polish, grease paint or burnt cork and were made up to look like they had exaggerated features. Blackface was about “distorting the features and culture of African Americans—including their looks, language, dance, deportment, and character,” according to the National Museum of African American History & Culture.

With the history of blackface in this country, there is a huge reason for many to be not only offended but weary in regards to someone painting their face black. Many African Americans have dealt with racially charged circumstances and with what has been going on in Antioch just in the past year with the Police Department.

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An educator in this city needs not only compassion and understanding but consideration and sensitivity in regards to families from diverse walks of life. As someone who represents the school and district in front of students, the teacher showed a lack of tact in how she demonstrated night. There are many ways to showcase the night, and using all black seems to have ruffled unexpected feathers instead of highlighting what was apparently meant to be a creative interpretation. 

Social media has been having a field day, with some users showing support for the teacher and some questioning the necessity of adding a full blacked-out face when it is already a controversial topic. 

Facebook user CG Park commented, “It’s 2023. Just don’t do it. You have to ask yourself why she thought this would add to her costume when she could have just worn the moon and left her face alone.”  

That echoes the thoughts of many people but not the most popular opinion being anyone who finds the situation offensive needs to just suck it up. Discussions led to arguments about racism and whether it’s an actual problem in the Antioch community, and anyone who believes there is racism was being belittled. Some of the social media users said there are plenty of races that live in Antioch, so that means there is no racism and the school district is the one stirring up hate and division.

Other Facebook users left comments such as, “Geez. Move on already. No one can take a joke or funny costume anymore” ‘ “She meant nothing by it and they know it! Get over it and address more important issues” ‘ “Grow a pair” ; “It was a costume. Anyone offended needs to be reevaluated” ‘ “Snowflakes” ; “the ones offended might as well move because nothing was wrong with it, just a bunch of crybabies.” 

Going through the comments, I noticed a pattern regarding Caucasians who were making these insensitive statements and wanted those offended to just be quiet or simply attacked anyone with a difference of opinion. One person wrote, “if she painted herself blue then Smurfs would be offended next.” However, there’s a huge split between Caucasians who are unsupportive and rude versus those who empathize and understand the line was crossed even if there isn’t any malicious intent.

Many of the comments became even more offensive in response to the teacher being put on leave. They attacked the City Council, school district, and anyone who would dare be offended by something and call it racism, insensitive or ignorance. Few felt like Facebook user Debbie Neely who commented, “If the costume idea required the teacher to paint her face black she should have reconsidered it. Black face will and should always be considered in bad taste.” 

Hopefully, this situation will not only bring awareness to the negative impacts actions have no matter the intent when it comes to racism. And consideration of the impact it can have on the community. Antioch is a diverse community, but it is still lacking in empathy for what those community members of different ethnicities have been through.