Source: Klaus Vedfelt / Getty
A clip of a male teacher allowing his female students to take out his braids has gone viral, sparking a polarizing debate across social media. The clip shows user Jaq Le sitting at his desk while five-six students are combing out his box braids. Also know as Q, or by his profile name thilluminator that lists him as a MS Science Teacher, often posts videos from inside his classroom and him interacting with his students. It’s clear, Q establishes close bonds with his students as a teacher should. “I take the time to get to know my students outside of academics because caring for the whole child is what’s important,” the teacher said.
The clip sparked discoursed about appropriate and inappropriate behavior between teachers and students, with Q defending his behavior. “If I was a female teacher, those people wouldn’t be in the comments saying, ‘Oh, this is weird, this is inappropriate.’ Because me personally, I know think there’s anything weird about this. People are saying ‘That’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,” he said.
Reactions To Students Taking Out Teacher’s Braids
In a voiceover video, Q explained he had a hair appointment after school and didn’t have time to take his hair out so he enlisted the assistance of a few of his “best friends” to help him out after class. While some parents think it’s inappropriate, some parents brought up how young Black girls are oversexualized and Black men, criminalized.
Some of his student’s parents took to Q’s comments section to defend him. “My child is one of his students,” wrote Sheena Patrick Robinson. “I am 100% supportive of @thilluminator. Our girls need to learn healthy, non-sexual relationships with men to better understand how they SHOULD be treated and addressed. Mommy and Daddy can’t protect them 24/7, and they need to know safe spaces outside the home. For the parents who said they wouldn’t allow their daughters to do this, you aren’t there to forbid them in the moment, so your daughter would most likely participate if they felt comfortable. Our daughters are sexualized daily and the true innocence of “playing in hair” is overlooked. These girls grew up doing this to their dolls, what makes this so inappropriate? @thilluminator you know I’m one of your biggest supporters, some parents have no idea the craziness their daughters really face…”
The clip has even sparked reaction from celebrity moms like India Royale, mother of rapper Lil’ Durk’s child, commented “No and hell no. I will not be explaining further.”
Not everyone thinks it’s inappropriate, but few question why the teacher had to live stream it in the first place. What say you readers, inappropriate or are little Black girls not allowed to to do normal things without being oversexualized?
Viral Video Of Male Teacher Getting His Braids Taken Out By His Female Students Sparks Debate was originally published on hellobeautiful.com
