A high school math teacher in California has been placed on leave after a viral video surfaced showing her mimicked Native American customs to teach trigonometry concepts.
In the video, the teacher wears a fake Native American headdress while chanting “SO-CAH-TOA,” prancing around the classroom and making air-tomahawks hand motions. The mnemonic SO-CAH-TOA is commonly used to teach trigonometric functions sine, cosine and tangent.
A student posted the two-minute video Wednesday, and it quickly gained traction online. The teacher was placed on leave by the Riverside Unified School District on Thursday.
“These behaviors are completely unacceptable and an offensive depiction of the vast and expansive Native American cultures and practices,” a spokesperson from the school district said in a statement Thursday.
In the video, some students laughed during the teacher’s exploits, which lasted more than two minutes, while other students are visibly uncomfortable. One student buried his head in his arms at one point during the performance as the teacher stood on top of a desk while chanting and dancing.
The disciplinary action against the teacher follows escalating tensions between parents and schools over teaching critical race theory and COVID-19 mandates, though sensitivity over cultural appropriation has been a trend in education for years.
Last month, California became the first state to require ethnic studies curriculum in high schools.
“We are deeply committed to implementing inclusive practices and policies that honor the rich diversity of our district in the greater region,” the Riverside Unified School District said Thursday. “We will be working with our students, families, staff and community to regain your trust.”
• Joseph Clark can be reached at jclark@washingtontimes.com.
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