A parent has expressed concern about an unapproved history lesson at Honey Creek Elementary School, which the school system is currently looking into. Nikisha, the mother of a first and fifth grader, said her family was left shocked and heartbroken when her children saw segregation-era signs at school.
She intervened, reaching out to the Rockdale County School Board, the district superintendent, and the school principal. According to her, she wanted to guarantee that all parents were informed of the issue and hold those in charge accountable. It was not intended to single out any school workers, she said.
District officials have since claimed that the lesson containing the posters, which evoked discrimination during the Jim Crow era, was not approved. The signs were meant to highlight the story of civil rights icon Ruby Bridges but they were never approved.
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Principal Adriene Lanier wrote in a letter to parents and guardians a week after the incident, saying that the incident involved a “social studies activity based on a historical figure in American history that was not approved.”
Although the Rockdale County school did not specify which portion of the lesson was not approved, Nikisha stated at a recent Rockdale County school board meeting that “whites only” and “coloreds only” signs were posted above the cafeteria water fountains.
Nikisha and her husband, Stephan, expressed their feelings to Atlanta News First. “This is a highly concerning issue for myself and other parents,” Nikisha said.
“You’re telling me that this was a lesson plan that you had in place, then someone had to approve of that? They had to review it and approve it,” Stephan added.
According to the principal’s letter, the historical figure in the social studies class was Ruby Bridges, who is part of the Georgia Social Studies Standards. In the 1960s, Bridges became the first Black child to desegregate a school in Louisiana.
“The district provides teachers with curriculum documents that include recommended and vetted resources and activities,” Lanier said. “In this instance, the teacher did not adhere to the approved resources or recommended lessons provided by the district.”
Although the school doesn’t think there was any intended harm, Lanier stated that “the activity was not included in the teacher’s submitted lesson plan and was not approved by school administrators.”
Still, the upset mother claimed that the manner in which the material was presented was “highly offensive.”
While the event is still being investigated, Rockdale County Public Schools announced in a statement that it had taken the “appropriate action to address the reported information.”
Nikisha stated, “I understand there is an investigation in place, and I hope and pray that that is taken in high regard to what the children experienced because the kids are traumatized. Especially speaking firsthand, mine were. It’s sad that in 2025, we have to encounter things of this nature.”
