The email referenced costumes related to Indigenous people, but not blackface, which Surlan says he wasn’t familiar with at the time. Before students arrived, he put a blue medical mask on beneath the black mask. When class started he found it tough to breathe, so he removed the black mask and left the blue one. She told him students were upset that he was in blackface and Surlan appeared shocked and confused. That day, photos of Surlan in blackface began circulating on social media, parents started complaining and media made inquiries.

Source: thestar May 31, 2023 04:21 UTC