On Tuesday, Martin Luther King Jr. Early College took down racially questionable posters after teachers and students complained about the message.
The posters in the Denver school had titles like 101 Things Black and Latina Girls Should Know and 101 Things Every Young Man of Color Should Know.
While some of the messages were supportive, noting that all bodies are beautiful no matter the color or type, several messages were derogatory and stereotypical.
The messages included statements like,
The message to young men also included the hugely stereotypical message that there are other ways to make money aside from sports and rapping.
Among those upset by the messages is Dr. Sheryl Ziegler, who said the idea behind it may have been benign, but the execution was misguided.“I think the percentage of kids getting something from this, who will think twice about their hygiene or appearance, I think is much less than if they thought more carefully regarding the sensitivity on the delivery of it.”
Since taking down the poster, the school district had this to say:
Denver Public Schools seeks to ensure that the diverse cultures of our students and community are valued and respected. We understand the concerns raised by those who found the poster offensive and are reviewing this situation so that we can help prevent issues like this in the future. And, we will continue our work to support responsible and effective conversations about diversity in our schools.
Watch the local news coverage below.