Three White Teachers Used Pictures of O.J. Simpson and Dennis Rodman to Mock Black History Month

In Los Angeles, three white male teachers are accused of involving their young students in a stunt to mock Black History Month. If this is true, it's a new low, even for California, in the midst of all its current race-fueled campus drama at UC San Diego .

Three Los Angeles elementary school teachers accused of giving children portraits of O.J. Simpson, Dennis Rodman and RuPaul to carry in a Black History Month parade have been removed from their classrooms, a school district spokeswoman said Wednesday.

The incident occurred Friday at Wadsworth Avenue Elementary School in South Los Angeles, where the student body is more than 90 percent Latino. Source: Teachers Accused Of Using O.J. Simpson, Rupaul To Mock Black History, AP/Huffington Post

The teachers have been placed on administrative leave, pending the outcome of an investigation. And although the Los Angeles Unified School District Superintendent Ray Cortines and the local branch of the NAACP are outraged, not all parents feel the same.

Sharon Tinson, who has two daughters at the school and attended Friday's celebration, said she had been surprised to see Simpson displayed in the parade. But she noted that Simpson, like Rodman, was a great athlete before falling from grace. RuPaul simply has an alternative lifestyle, she added.

She noted the event also included a tribute to pop singer Michael Jackson, who has also had a checkered career. "I kind of laughed at it," Tinson said. "I wasn't offended."

Gabriel Blackson, whose son attends the school, said he also took a larger view of the ruckus.

"These guys were heroes before. People make mistakes," he said. "I think they show kids they can be somebody, to push them to be somebody." Source: 3 LA teachers removed over choice of black heroes, AP

These parents have a point IF there was a lesson about redemption or the consequences of poor choices, only then should this case warrant broader discussion and consideration.

And further, you'll notice I did not include RuPaul in my headline, because RuPaul is a perfect American role model in my opinion. I've met her, and she's one of the kindest, upbeat, encouraging people you will ever encounter. Talk about the American dream? RuPaul epitomizes that in this country you really can become anyone you dream of being. America is like no other place in the world -- it is the land of opportunity!

Still, can you imagine the uproar if a black teacher at a white school had the kids parading around with a picture of military Veteran Lee Harvey Oswald in their hands at a Memorial Day Parade? Many observers would be rightfully outraged.