A Maryland teacher has sparked widespread attention and criticism after sharing a video of students unbraiding his hair in a classroom setting.
Marquis White, identified as a middle school Science teacher, posted the video on his TikTok page, which has garnered nearly 7 million views as of Wednesday and has been widely circulated.
According to Prince George’s Schools, where White is employed, the incident occurred during the last 10 minutes of class, with White enlisting the help of 4-5 students who had completed their schoolwork.
In addition to allowing students to unbraide his hair, White also stated in another video that he permits students to paint his nails, citing one student’s career aspirations as a nail technician and the support of her mother who regularly views his videos and has consented to her daughter’s participation.
The videos have elicited diverse reactions, amassing over 20,000 comments. While some commend White, describing him as more paternal than most, others express discomfort with what they perceive as overly intimate interactions between teacher and students.
Contrary to several blog headlines claiming White’s termination, Prince George’s County Public Schools clarified to WUSA9 that he has been “reassigned out of the classroom pending the outcome of the investigation.”
While the school’s code of conduct does not explicitly address activities like braiding hair or painting nails, it emphasizes staff’s responsibility to uphold students’ personal boundaries, maintain appropriate spatial distance, and exhibit suitable conduct. Furthermore, it specifies limitations on recording students’ faces and voices, except in contexts such as Performing Arts classes or Career Technology.
WUSA9 has reached out to White for comment, but he has declined to speak publicly at this time.
