In the age of viral videos and online discourse, even the most well-intentioned actions can spark polarizing debates. And that is definitely the case with the recent controversy surrounding JaQ Lee, a Black science teacher who was fired after a video of his female students unbraiding his hair during class went viral on TikTok.
On one side of the debate, there are the people who see nothing wrong with Lee’s actions. They view it as a heart-warming example of a teacher bonding with his students and building meaningful connections. As one supporter commented, “Some of them may not have a father figure or big brother at home, so keep it up. Be there for them.”
Personally, despite being of genus “Teacher’s Petus” back when I was in high school, not even my worst nightmare would have featured me doing something this personal for a teacher. As much as I wanted that A, I had limits, and there was an invisible line that you knew not to cross. But then again, these are very different times that we’re all living in.
Video of female students unbraiding teacher’s hair goes viral
Those defending Lee argue that society has become overly cynical, always looking for issues where there are none. They say as long as he had permission from parents and the school, a little harmless hair care between a teacher and students shouldn’t be condemned. Educator Arnetta Murray argued this point on the Isaiah Factor show, stating “If he got the approval…I don’t see nothing wrong with it.”
However, the other side of the debate finds Lee’s conduct completely inappropriate and a violation of professional boundaries. Critics claim he misused his authority by essentially extracting unpaid labor from students during school hours over something as personal as hair grooming. As outraged parent Louis Hunter stated,
“You don’t have 100 best friends. You have 100 students.”
Others argue that even if permission was granted, a teacher should never put themselves in compromising situations that could be misconstrued. They worry about setting a precedent of over-familiarity that could enable abuse further down the line.
Then there’s the whole “hygiene issue” . Some find it unhygienic and inappropriate for students to be physically touching and unbraiding a teacher’s hair in a classroom setting. Honestly, this raises a great question. Where do you draw the line with boundaries if hair unbraiding is allowed? Would his next video have been him letting students pop pimples on his back?
So, now we’re all left wondering, how much rapport is too much rapport? Should it be strictly all business? Or is some personal bonding (within reason) part of engaging students? JaQ Lee himself feels he did nothing offensive, defending himself by saying
“If I was a female teacher, those people wouldn’t be in the comments saying ‘Oh this is weird.'”
At the end of the day, the incident showcases how even some of the most innocuous actions can be considered inappropriate in today’s hyper-sensitive climate where so many people are trying to be proactive in preventing issues of the past from being perpetuated. It also exposes how different perceptions of respect, authority and boundaries can be across generations and cultures.
While it’s sad to see Lee loose his job, the controversy gives a learning opportunity to educators on managing classroom dynamics. And maybe it also serves as a wake-up call for teachers to think twice before they post their class online to be judged by the world.