PARENTS OUTRAGED AFTER WHITES ONLY AND COLOURED SIGNS PUT ABOVE WATER FOUNTAINS AS PART OF ELEMENTARY SCHOOL LESSON

PEOPLE

 

Parents Outraged After ‘Whites Only’ and ‘Colored’ Signs Put Above Water Fountains as Part of Elementary School Lesson

School officials say the segregation-era signs were not a part of the teacher’s submitted lesson plans and was not approved by school administration

By David Chiu  Published on April 25, 2025 06:28PM EDT

 

Georgia parents were outraged after “Colored Only” and “Whites Only” signs were posted above elementary school water fountains as part of a teacher's lesson plan.

 

Several parents of students from Honey Creek Elementary in Conyers were upset upon learning the news, ABC affiliate WSB, Fox affiliate WAGA and NBC affiliate WXIA reported.

 

A Rockdale County school district spokesperson said that the signs posted on April 15 were from a class history lesson about Ruby Bridges, the first Black child to integrate an elementary school in the American South in 1960, according to WSB.

 

The news outlet reported that that the signs were also hung in the cafeteria.

 

Nikisha, a mother of two, told WXIA that her family was disgusted after the kids saw the signs.

 

“I thought it was like racist, and I thought nobody should feel that way," Nikisha’s son Kingston, 10, a 5th grader, told the station. "I don't think anyone should feel like they shouldn't belong in certain areas because of their skin color.”

 

Another parent, who did not wish to be identified, pointed out to WSB that lessons “can be taught in a way that doesn’t inflict trauma on children.”

 

WAGA reported that in a letter sent to parents, the school principal said that " this activity was not included in the teacher’s submitted lesson plans and was not approved by school administration."

 

"While we do not believe there was ill intent, we do expect all faculty to follow the plans that are submitted and approved," the principal continued.

 

When reached for comment, a school spokesperson directed PEOPLE to a video of the board of education meeting held on Thursday, April 24.

 

At the meeting, Rockdale County Public Schools superintendent Shirley Chesser reiterated that the teacher in this incident “did not follow the approved resources or recommended lessons” provided by the district.

 

After learning about the signs, Chesser said, the school district immediately launched an investigation and spoke with parents and students who may have been affected.

 

"The teacher did not have any discriminatory intent and this was not a prank," Chessner continued. "This activity did not align with district expectations and we recognize that this may have been hurtful."

 

The Georgia and Rockdale County NAACP weighed in on the controversy in a joint statement released on April 24.

 

“Let us be clear: there is no place in our schools—or in any public space—for racism, hate, or ignorance,” their statement said. “What occurred in Rockdale County...reflects the ongoing need for serious, intentional education about our country’s history of racial discrimination and the continued work required to build inclusive, respectful environments for all students.”

 

Both organizations called on the school district to take “swift action," “not only to hold those involved accountable but to implement district-wide anti-racism education, cultural competency training for staff and students.”

 

“This is not just about one school," they said. "This is about who we are as a society, and what we choose to tolerate. We will not be silent."