Garland High School Step Team Criticized For Controversial Performance
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GARLAND (CBSDFW.COM) - Garland ISD is responding to claims a high school step team's Black History Month performance was a "direct attack on police."
Rowlett police chief Michael Brodnax spoke of the performance that featured students holding signs that read "Black Lives Matter," "I Can't Breathe," and "The Whole System is Guilty."
"Allowing this only promotes the discontent and hatred for police to continue," said Brodnax. "It's a bad day."
Parents of the students involved with the step team area hesitant to speak. The faces of their kids have become the billboard for an online debate that has garnered hundreds of comments and shares on social media.
"We know everyone has their opinion, everyone has their beliefs. But a school function at a campus facility is not the place to voice those political concerns," said Garland ISD spokesperson, Chris Moore.
The district said it talked to the teacher and told him to use better judgement in the future.
"The signs shouldn't have been used. It's disappointing and we're going to move forward," said Moore.
The teacher who sponsors the step team initially wanted to speak about the incident to explain the message. Garland ISD would not allow the teacher to discuss the matter and said it would violate policy.
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