A middle school teacher was suspended after they reportedly approved a student’s request to dress as the first KKK Grand Wizard for extra credit.
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The teacher who worked at Southern Middle School allegedly told the eighth grade student that they were allowed to dress as Nathan Bedford Forrest, the first Grand Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan from 1867 to 1869. According to the Daily Mail, the student made the request for extra credit since the assignment required them to dress as historical figures.
Videos of the student also circulated on social media and sparked outrage among students and parents over the weekend. Pulaski County Schools District superintendent Patrick Richardson said officials learned about the incident on Monday and immediately suspended the teacher in addition to reporting the assignment to the state’s Educational Professional Standards Board.
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The student will not face disciplinary action for the outfit because they were assigned to dress up.NAACP Lexington-Lafayette member Whit Whitataker said there have been similar incidents in other schools but nothing have been done to prevent future incidents from happening.
Who is the first KKK Grand Wizard?
The Ku Klux Klan (KKK) is an infamous American white supremacist organization known for promoting hate, violence, and racial intolerance. The KKK’s dark history dates back to the Reconstruction era following the American Civil War.
Born on July 13, 1821, in Chapel Hill, Tennessee, Nathan Bedford Forrest would go on to become the first Grand Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan. Before his involvement with the KKK, Forrest had a controversial military career as a Confederate cavalry general during the Civil War.
Forrest’s military tactics were characterized by aggressive and innovative strategies. However, it is his association with the KKK that solidified his place in history as a symbol of racism and hatred. In 1867, following the end of the Civil War, Forrest was chosen to lead the KKK as its first Grand Wizard, a title he reluctantly accepted. Under Forrest’s leadership, the Ku Klux Klan grew in numbers and influence. The organization aimed to maintain white supremacy in the South by terrorizing and suppressing African Americans and their supporters. The KKK used intimidation, violence, and murder to instill fear in the Black community and to undermine efforts towards racial equality.
While Forrest initially expressed reluctance in his association with the KKK, his involvement cannot be overlooked. He played a pivotal role in the KKK’s early activities and endorsed their mission of racial terror. However, in 1869, due to increased violence and internal divisions within the Klan, Forrest issued a public denouncement, calling for the organization’s dissolution.