A Florida teacher has been dismissed following an incident where a student captured her hanging a black baby doll with a cord in her classroom. Karen Whitmire Savage, a 63-year-old art educator at Barrington Middle School in Hillsborough County, took the doll from one of her students, according to a 14-year-old boy who filmed the episode.
The student, Noah, shared that he recorded the event as it occurred on Monday. The Hillsborough County Schools Superintendent, Van Ayres, swiftly condemned the incident the next day and stated that Savage had been taken off campus pending an investigation.
By Wednesday, the school district announced Savage’s termination and reported her actions to the Florida Department of Education’s Office of Professional Practice Services. A district spokesperson emphasized a zero-tolerance policy for such behavior and assured that appropriate measures were promptly taken.
Counselors will be provided for students affected by the incident. The student, Noah, mentioned that initially, most students reacted nervously, but silence fell over the room when the doll was hung by Savage.
After receiving the video, Noah’s mother, Nina Williams, shared it on Instagram, where it garnered nearly 450,000 likes. Williams criticized Savage’s explanation to the students, stating that it was not acceptable behavior but a display of hate and trauma in a supposed safe environment for children.
Noah reported the incident to the student affairs office after the lesson, where he was interrupted by Savage. He expressed his hope that Savage would not be allowed to teach again due to her actions.
Williams expressed deep concern over the racial implications of the act, evoking images of historical violence. She highlighted the lasting impact this event would have on her son, and mentioned being contacted by civil rights attorneys to potentially take legal action against the school district.
Despite this, she acknowledged the district’s swift response in removing Savage from campus and hoped that Savage would not teach at any school again.