Black Teacher Fired After Going Viral For Students Unbraiding Hair: Report
By Jovonne Ledet
May 13, 2024
A science teacher who went viral on TikTok for sharing a video of his female students unbraiding his hair has reportedly been fired.
TikTok user @thilluminatin1, who goes by JaQ Lee on social media, had viewers buzzing over a video he shared of a group of girls taking down his braids and detangling his hair in the classroom. Lee noted that he had an appointment after school.
“I didn’t have time to do it all by myself because it would’ve taken me forever, so naturally I asked about four or five of over 100 best friends to assist me in taking my hair out, and they all agreed,” Lee said.
@thilluminatin1 Students don't care how much you know until they know how much you care. Teaching is a work of heart. Comment your thoughts #teacher #teachersoftiktok #teacherproblems #millenialsoftiktok #middleschool
♬ Chopin Nocturne No.2 Op.9-2(1391533) - 314P
Social media users debated whether it was appropriate for the teacher to allow his students to unbraid his hair.
"Social Worker here, you are following all of the appropriate boundaries! You are in the open, not alone with one student, and the students are willing participants. The energy is great," one TikTok user commented.
"As a mother I would have been livid!!!!" another person wrote.
"People be looking for problems with innocent situations," a third chimed in.
"Nope. No sir. From a school administrator. After school yeah sure, build the relationship. It seems too personal," a commenter disagreed.
"If I was a female teacher, those people wouldn’t be in the comments saying ‘Oh this is weird, this is inappropriate.’ Me personally, I don’t think there’s anything weird about this. People are saying it’s too intimate. To me, it’s literally just hair. It doesn’t have to be weird. Some people have never had cool teachers and it shows," Lee said.
Last week, Lee shared a TikTok video alluding to his termination. The teacher read messages from his students who said they would miss him.
"You don’t deserve this. 🥺 We need more educators like you, that genuinely care about your students. This is so upsetting," one TikTok user said of the reported firing.
"As educator we all have an experience that reminds us the importance of boundaries. Use this experience as a way to grow and develop as an educator. Best of luck to you," another wrote.
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