A math teacher at a high school in Riverside, California, has been put on leave after videos of her mocking Indigenous cultures during a class went viral. The teacher, wearing a plastic headband with paper feathers resembling a headdress, was seen in the videos jumping and shouting “SohCahToa,” a mnemonic for trigonometry functions, while making “tomahawk chop” gestures.

Incident Filmed by Indigenous Student

The videos were shared by Akalei Brown, an Indigenous businesswoman, who received them from a Native American student in the class. According to her Instagram post, the student felt the teacher’s behavior was “violent” and decided to record it. The footage shows the teacher moving around the room, standing on tables, and performing exaggerated actions, including pretending to pray to a “water goddess” and referencing a “rock god.”

In addition to her actions, the teacher displayed stick figure drawings of people in headdresses, rocks, and teepees on the projector. She sat on her desk and mockingly asked the “water goddess” to reveal a “secret Indian chant,” laughing as she dismissed her own antics. The teacher further joked about rocks being gifts from a “rock god,” adding, “The rock god did this. Thank you, rock god.”

Community Response

The Riverside Unified School District condemned the teacher’s actions in a public statement, calling them “unacceptable and offensive.” Superintendent Renee Hill addressed the incident at a board meeting, describing the teacher’s actions as “highly insulting and marginalizing to Native American and Indigenous cultures.”

One young Indigenous girl spoke at the meeting, expressing her anger and sadness about the video. “She’s racist, and that just makes me so mad. Me and my people don’t have our rights still… They treat us bad, they bully us,” she said.

Social Media Backlash

As a half Native American I take this as mean, hurtful, and shows just how much you don’t know about our people. This is sad and shameful.
Yesterday a Native American student filmed this video in his Math class!This was taken at John W. North high school in Riverside, CA. pic.twitter.com/x3VL2gTia0

— Kaya Jones (@KayaJones) October 21, 2021

The incident has drawn widespread criticism online. Popular Indigenous TikToker Lance Tsosie shared the video, calling the behavior “racist, ignorant, and disgusting.” Tsosie urged viewers to demand accountability from the school and advocate for diversity and equity training for teachers.

The teacher remains unnamed and has been placed on administrative leave while the district investigates the incident. John W. North High School issued a statement condemning her actions, stating they go against the school’s values of equity and well-being.

Ongoing Concerns

Brown, who serves as a Native history and culture consultant, is acting as the spokesperson for the student and their family, who wish to remain anonymous for safety reasons. She emphasized that incidents like this highlight the continued marginalization of Indigenous communities and the need for greater awareness and respect.

The viral video has sparked discussions on how schools handle cultural sensitivity and the importance of respecting diverse traditions.