A racist posterboard depicting LeBron James alongside monkeys was displayed at a school art exhibition, sparking an investigation into how it was allowed to make it there.
The piece, titled “Monkey Premium,” was created by a student from New Hartford Central School District in New York and exhibited at the New Hartford Festival of the Arts event on Saturday.
Officials say they have opened a probe into the circumstances surrounding its inclusion, according to TMZ.
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The poster featured the headline “Eat Monkeys, Jump Like Monkeys!” with an image of James in his Lakers uniform next to a bowl of cereal. Text on the board claimed that consuming the depicted food, shaped like monkeys and bananas, would increase jumping ability by 2-5 inches for about 2 hours.
The poster sparked widespread outrage due to its clear references to racist stereotypes. Superintendent of Schools Cosimo Tangorra Jr. addressed the issue on Monday, stating that officials are investigating the matter.
“It is disheartening that racist work was not only created,” Tangorra Jr. said, “but then overlooked and allowed to be displayed.”
Tangorra Jr. disclosed that the creator of the controversial work has been identified and contacted by officials. Due to privacy concerns, specific details about the student cannot be disclosed publicly. He also stated that further information regarding potential disciplinary action could not be provided at this time.
“We understand that there are students, families, staff, and community members who may not feel safe, accepted, or welcome as a result of what transpired,” Tangorra Jr. said.
“Our school community deserves access to a supportive learning environment where everyone feels respected, included, and safe.”
“We have fallen short of that goal, and we must do better,” he continued. “As a district, we will continue working to ensure all students and their families feel valued, and it requires increased education, dialogue, and action from the entire school community.”
