In honor of Black History Month, teachers at West Charlotte High School took it upon themselves to decorate their classroom doors and doors in the school halls in various themes related to black history. One door represented Motown, while another had a powerful message from chains to change with an image of two hands in chains. However, the decoration that caused the most controversy depicted a 1930 Sears department store with one door labeled "colored entrance" and the other labeled "white entrance."
While some individuals found these decorations to be offensive, others thought it was a creative way to spark meaningful conversations about black history. Laquinta Caldwell, the daughter of one of the teachers involved, spoke out in defense of her mother’s vision. She explained that the purpose of the display was to show the harsh reality of segregation and that the display was being taken out of context.
Despite the intentions behind the decorations, the district decided to take them down once school leadership became aware of them. The CMS (Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools) stated that the doors displayed inappropriate content and that the activity was not aligned with state standards or the CMS curriculum.
While the controversy surrounding the decorations may have led to their removal, many individuals saw the display as a unique and impactful way to educate students about black history and the struggles faced by African Americans throughout history. Whether the decorations were deemed controversial or meaningful, they undeniably sparked important conversations about race and segregation in America.
Source: Youtube
