Middletown school employees under investigation for TikTok video
MIDDLETOWN- Two Middletown school district employees are under investigation after they were featured in a TikTok video.
A statement from the school district says the two employees dressed in Middie gear in the video, dancing to a song that contains the n word.
“The video is disturbing to view and does not reflect or align with the core values of our district and school community embody,” Superintendent Amy Creeden said in the statement. “The district will conduct a full investigation into this matter. Appropriate and serious action will be taken against anyone involved in this unacceptable behavior.”
According to the statement, the two employees are no longer in direct contact with students.
Creeden declined to comment on potential disciplinary actions or to clarify whether the employees have been removed from the school buildings due to privacy concerns.
“I want to make sure I respect the privacy of everybody involved," she said. "The employees are young people. It was unfortunate the incident happened. We set high standards for our employees because we know that our young people deserve that.”
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Cellphone use and the use of social media are increasingly disruptive in schools. The Middletown district has enforced a cellphone ban at all of its seven schools since the fall.
“The use and/or representation of reprehensible racially charged language will not be tolerated," Creeden said. "Our educators and staff are called upon to support our school community by acting and speaking in ways that amplify inclusivity, positivity, and encouragement."
In the Carmel school district in Putnam County, three high school students got in trouble this week for impersonating members of the school district's administration and the Putnam County Sheriff's Department in racist TikTok videos.
This article originally appeared on Times Herald-Record: Middletown school employees under investigation for TikTok video
