Teacher gives black colleague KKK robe, Confederate flag

[left-of-center2012]

A retired teacher in Oklahoma is under fire after he was accused of presenting a black teacher with a Confederate flag and KKK robe as an ill-conceived joke.

Larry Long, who is white, pulled off the thoughtless gag in front of a crowd of about 500 people during a session at last week’s Oklahoma CareerTech Summer Conference in Oklahoma City ...

Long issued an apology on Thursday, explaining that it was a bad joke.

"While there I attempted to make a joke with a colleague whom I respect and admire.
I never intended to convey any racist actions or comments."

Oklahoma Career Tech Director Marcie Mack (who is white) told reporters Wednesday at a press conference ... the two teachers had been colleagues and the black teacher was not angry.

... attendees who witnessed the racially charged incident were told not to tell anyone and instructed to delete video and pics on their phones.

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/retired-oklahoma-teacher-black-colleague-kkk-robe-article-1.2748078?utm_source=fark&utm_medium=website&utm_content=link&ICID=ref_fark

[stonecutter357]

1. wow.

[dhill926]

2. I never intended to convey any racist actions or comments."

uh huh....right. asshole....

[left-of-center2012]

4. A KKK robe and rebel flag

Nope ... nothing racist there.

[SusanCalvin]

3. No emotional intelligence whatsoever, it would seem.

Not to mention lacking the concept of thinking before doing.

Also not to mention the person(s) who thought it could be kept quiet....

[lib87]

5. "and the black teacher was not angry"

Publically humiliated in front of 500 peers but not angry? Oh, okay Marcie.

Such bullsh*t.

[SusanCalvin]

6. Really. The whole story smells. nt

[MrScorpio]

8. That should have read the teacher maintained ones composure in the face of racist bullshit

I'm always impressed by how much we can do that, given what we have to go through on a daily basis.

[SusanCalvin]

9. Yep. And that was supposedly a "friend"?

[MrScorpio]

10. See, this is actually what's going on...

Whenever we hear certain white people referring to their black 'friend' as some sort of justification for their own racist bullshit.

What's really going on most of the time is that the black person is choosing to maintain their composure. I know that I've done that myself from time to time.

You have to choose your battles when it comes to white people.

[SusanCalvin]

12. No doubt.

But that was a heck of a battle to have to choose.

I wonder if he really ever thought that guy was a friend. If he did, that really makes me sad.

[lib87]

14. "Colleagues". lol He couldn't even use the 'my black friend' card

I'm with Scorpio. You pick and choose your battles because at the end of the day chances are great they will not take your side or because they feel the same way. It's horrible for this man but thankfully someone got this on tape and brought it to light.

[MrScorpio]

7. Jeezus.

[xfundy]

11. He should have set them on fire onstage.

And his "friend" is an asshole.

[SusanCalvin]

13. I wish.

But, at least for me, it's hard to come up with an appropriate response when confronted with something completely appalling and unexpected. Which it sounds like this was.

[zz-la]

15. I'm sorry where was the punchline

The idiot said it was all just a "joke" but what would the joking part be. Would it also be funny to present a Jewish teacher with a swastika and laugh about it. See it's all just a joke to white people like this man. What this black man has endured in his life, all just a funny anecdote that's all.

[left-of-center2012]

16. "... present a Jewish teacher with a swastika"

Maybe a star too ?