A Massachusetts Montessori daycare and preschool has temporarily shuttered after a teacher had toddlers make and wear blackface masks as a part of Black History Month curriculum.
When Nadirah Pierce picked her kids up from IC Kids in Newton last Tuesday and learned of the project, she pulled them out of the school.
“This is unacceptable and don’t really understand the concept of this project,” Pierce told NBC Boston.
Pierce called an apology posted to the school's Facebook page "disheartening."
The school has since deactivated the Facebook page and posted a statement on the door, saying the teacher involved was fired, NBC Boston reported.
“To celebrate ‘black history month’, a teacher in toddler classroom at IC Kids planned and carried out an activity that involved black masks ‘blackface.’ One of the parents brought it to our attention and was offended; The teacher apologized to the parent,” the statement read.
The teacher has been “released from her employment,” the statement said.
IC Kids Newton did not respond to NBC News' requests for comment on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, the school closed over “safety concerns,” the statement said. "Hearing of protests happening at the center will put the children and staff at risk," it said.
NBC Boston did not see any protesters at the school on Monday.
