Mom upset after teacher sang “offensive” version of “Happy Birthday” song to son
By Alyssa Dzikowski
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POLK COUNTY, Florida (WFOR) — A Florida mother is demanding an apology from her sons elementary school after she says the teacher’s approach to celebrating her sons birthday was “offensive” rather than celebratory.
The incident happened at a Floral Avenue Elementary School in Polk County near Orlando.
Desarae Prather said the teacher sent her the video, but she didn’t find it funny. She immediately went to the school’s office.
The video showed the teacher singing to the 6-year-old boy, “Happy Birthday to you. You live in the zoo, you look like a monkey, and you smell like one too.”
Prather says there’s a history of black people being described that way which makes it extremely upsetting.
“My skin is boiling. I don’t really like racism and to know where we came from and our ancestors and for us to be labeled like that…,” Prather said.
Prather said the song hurt her son’s feelings and demanded an apology from the school, immediate disciplinary action and counseling for her child.
The Polk County Public Schools district said it’s investigating the incident.
The mother said she plans to transfer her son to another school.
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