Beautiful Virgin Islands

Tuesday, Jun 24, 2025

Los Angeles teacher flees home after receiving death threats for wearing 'I can't breathe' T-shirt

Los Angeles teacher flees home after receiving death threats for wearing 'I can't breathe' T-shirt

A Los Angeles high school teacher said she was forced to flee her home after receiving numerous death threats for wearing an "I can't breathe" T-shirt during one of her virtual class sessions.

The teacher at El Camino Real Charter High School in Woodland Hills, California, initially received backlash last week from a parent who was upset that race and social justice topics were being discussed in his daughter's English class.

The upset parent allegedly shared the photo of the teacher on one of his social media platforms, resulting in widespread support and hate alike. According to the teacher, hundreds of emailed threats flooded her inbox after Elijah Schaffer, the podcast host of the YouTube show "Slightly Offens*ve," posted a screenshot of the photo to his Twitter account, where he has amassed more than 200,000 followers.


Students protest outside El Camino Real Charter High School earlier this week in support of a teacher who wore an "I can't breathe" T-shirt during an online class.



The teacher, who asked not to be named out of concerns for her safety, said she and her teenage daughter left their home after fearing some of the threatening messages she received.

El Camino Real Charter High School, Schaffer and the parent who allegedly shared the photo did not respond to CNN's request on Thursday for comment. In an interview with The Los Angeles Times, the high school's executive director David Hussey said administrators have reached out to the teacher to "help her and support her as best as we can."

"The start of the school year with distance learning has been stressful and traumatic enough, but now this teacher has the stress and trauma of being attacked and harassed with hate speech and threats," Cecily Myart-Cruz, president of the United Teachers Los Angeles union said, speaking on behalf of the teacher. "This is absolutely unacceptable."

The ordeal comes after El Camino Real Charter High School permitted the teacher to modify her curriculum to include school-led instruction about racial and social injustice following numerous instances of police brutality that have garnered nationwide attention, the teacher said.

The Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) confirmed the school is an independent charter and can develop instruction on these topics as long as they follow state guidelines.


Students protest outside El Camino Real Charter High School earlier this week in support of a teacher who wore an "I can't breathe" T-shirt during an online class.


"Simply saying Black Lives Matter is not enough: educators and administrators must actively show it in their work in creating and promoting anti-racist curriculum," Myart-Cruz said. "It is paramount that our educators are able to teach these subjects knowing they will have the support and protection of their administration."

Several LAUSD educators posted messages across social media in solidarity with the teacher who was targeted.


"In support of our colleague from El Camino Real Charter High ... We won't stop! We won't back down! #BlackLivesMatter," wrote LAUSD teacher Stacey Joy on Twitter.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
“You Have 12 Hours to Flee”: Israeli Threat Campaign Targets Surviving Iranian Officials
Macron and Merz: Europe must arm itself in an unstable world
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Airlines Evaluate Flight Cancellations Amid Escalating US-Iran Tensions
Starmer Invites Innovators to Join Government Talent Scheme
UK Economy’s Strong Opening Quarter Shows Signs of Cooling
Harrods Seeks Court Order to Secure Al Fayed Estate for Victims
BA and Singapore Airlines Cancel Dubai Flights Amid Middle East Tensions
Trump Faces Backlash from MAGA Base Over Iran Strikes
Meta Bets $14 B on Alexandr Wang to Drive AI Ambitions
WATCH: Israeli forces show the aftermath of a massive airstrike at Iran's Isfahan nuclear site
FedEx Founder Fred Smith, ‘Heart and Soul’ of the Company, Dies at 80
Chinese Factories Shift Away from U.S. Amid Trump‑Era Tariffs
Pimco Seizes Opportunity in Japan’s Dislocated Bond Market
Labubu Doll Drives Pop Mart to Status as China’s Most Valuable Toy Maker
Global Coal Demand Defies Paris Accord Goals
We have new information and breaking details to share about what is shaping up to be a historic air campaign tonight
Six Massive Bombs Dropped on Fordow; Trump: 'A Historic Moment for the U.S., Israel, and the World'
Fordow: Deeply Buried Iranian Enrichment Site in U.S.–Israel Crosshairs
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Pakistan to nominate Trump for Nobel Peace Prize.
BBC Demands Perplexity AI Immediately Stop Using Its Content
Telegram Founder: I Will Leave My Fortune to Over 100 of My Children
Political Turmoil Resurfaces in Belgium Amid Economic Concerns
Fed policymakers divided on timing of interest rate cuts
Trump signals imminent agreement with Harvard University
Inheritance tax referendum alarms Swiss billionaire community
Japan cancels bilateral security meeting amid US defence demands
AI skeptic Emily Bender warns that ‘the emperor has no clothes’
Israel Confirms Assassination of Quds Force Commander in Tehran
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
FBI and Senate Investigate Allegations of Chinese Plot to Influence the 2020 Election in Biden’s Favor Using Fake U.S. Driver’s Licenses
Vietnam Emerges as Luxury Yacht Destination for Ultra‑Rich
Plans to Sell Dutch Embassy in Bangkok Face Local Opposition
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump's $5 Million 'Trump Card' Visa Program Draws Nearly 70,000 Applicants
DGCA Finds No Major Safety Concerns in Air India's Boeing 787 Fleet
Airlines Reroute Flights Amid Expanding Middle East Conflict Zones
Elon Musk's xAI Seeks $9.3 Billion in Funding Amid AI Expansion
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Taiwan Imposes Export Ban on Chips to Huawei and SMIC
Israel has just announced plans to strike Tehran again, and in response, Trump has urged people to evacuate
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Juncker Criticizes EU Inaction on Trump Tariffs
EU Proposes Ban on New Russian Gas Contracts
×