Parents Upset Over 'Degrading,' 'Offensive' Class Photo At Sawgrass Elementary School (VIDEO)

A second grader at Sawgrass Elementary School in Sunrise, Fla., who didn't have the parental consent form to be in his class photo was nevertheless included, but in a way that has shocked school officials and the boy's parents, WPLG TV reports.

SCROLL DOWN FOR PHOTO

Per the elementary school's request, The Huffington Post blurred the faces of the other students in the photo, but the second grade boy can still be seen with a crude, brown-colored, smiley face placed over his face.

"It was totally inappropriate," Broward School District spokeswoman Marsy Smith told WPLG.

Smith also said Sherry Rose, the school's principal, was shocked when she first saw the photo.

"She was very, very upset and immediately took action to reschedule a picture-taking session for Thursday."

According to the Sun-Sentinel, some parents already received prints of the offensive photo, but they will soon receive a free replacement.

While the photographer, David Claussen, would not agree to go on camera, he told WPLG that he never meant to cause such controversy and that he was only following orders.

Claussen said, according to the station, that when he asked the school's P.T.A. how he should handle the student -- since he was sitting in the front row and didn't have a consent form-- they requested he place the smiley over his face, instead of a star Claussen reportedly recommended.

The principal has since scheduled a second photo shoot, WSVN TV reports.

PHOTO:

Comments

[Ariel S Koiman]

04:13 PM on 03/28/2013

Fun fact: in grayscale, if it's not white, it's some shade of black. The smiley could have originally been purple, for all we know. I don't know of any smiley images that come in white.

[etsvideos]

12:54 AM on 02/20/2013

This is really shocking. Management should have to take some action against it.

[Chlmrs266]

02:29 AM on 01/11/2013

Honestly I think this is funny and yes I am brown. In fact I would use this as my Facebook/twitter/huffpost/Tumblr pic

[Nick Vanocur]

03:58 PM on 10/27/2012

Now he's got to go get a photo ID to match.

[Chlmrs266]

02:28 AM on 01/11/2013

bahahahaha you sir are funny

[Clarabell]

12:51 PM on 04/15/2012

How about the photographer calling the parents and asking them how they wanted it handled?? To embarrass a kid like this is unforgivable !!!

[William Lin]

09:41 PM on 04/09/2012

I am not sure the photographer did it because he was racist. It seems like an innocent mistake. The kid forgot to bring his consent form, and so they couldn't take a picture of him. Aren't there rules around filing or taking photos of students without parental consent? That said, I think re-taking the photo is an appropriate next step. http://www.lulu.com/alastingwill

[Terry-Ann Richards]

02:55 PM on 04/09/2012

this is funny not racist

[Clarabell]

12:50 PM on 04/15/2012

funny if it's someone else kid -- maybe !!!

[kotkova]

05:07 PM on 01/18/2013

Yeah, let's see racist attacks in Everything, even when some photographer does some innocent action without malice. I would have found it more insulting for that kid to have a white smiley face... Are you also offended when a Black person wears a colored prosthetic limb to match his-her natural skin tone? Are you offended when Black parents give black dolls to their children? Seriously...

[Vanessa Shipman]

02:09 PM on 04/09/2012

what is it with the state of Florida?

[GraphicMatt]

04:30 PM on 04/09/2012

Did you really think that was offensive? Or even newsworthy?

[Clarabell]

12:52 PM on 04/15/2012

Maybe not newsworthy, but could have long lasting effects on a kid, especially if there were other incidents as well.

[Tmansbestbuddy]

01:04 PM on 04/09/2012

Why is this news? Has this country become that pathetic? Blame the parents of the child for not completing the form, or, maybe the parents never finished 2nd grade and did not have any memory of school pictures.

[cakejab]

07:54 PM on 04/09/2012

Sounds like this is pretty common where you come from, but for many it's shocking to see a small child targeted in this way, not funny. Even if the photographer didn't lie abt the permission slip, parents weren't involved in sending the class to take pictures. And, it shows the photographer's incompetence in taking the pix first, and then checking the slips after. Also a waste of money. Educate yourself.

[Debzville333]

01:07 PM on 04/10/2012

You need to "educate yourself". While you are at it, take a class about why Political Correctness is destroying the country. How is this racist or "targeting" the child??? If anything, the parents should be held responsible for allowing their kid to sit in the photo without their consent. Seems everyone wants their 15 minutes of fame now a days, and will do and say anything to get it. Even when it is this stupid and completely a NON issue. Grow up, get over it and move on. It's embarrassing how the citizens of our country are a bunch of over sensitive whiners.

[Debzville333]

01:09 PM on 04/10/2012

AND, it is not the photographers responsibility. It is the parents, and the teachers who did not inform the photographer. No one wants to take responsibility anymore.

[ChezBaker]

12:52 PM on 04/09/2012

Offensive? Seriously? Get a Life!!!!

[Clarabell]

12:53 PM on 04/15/2012

they could have blurred his face instead -- or contacted the parents before this became an issue.

[JScott]

11:42 AM on 04/09/2012

So apparently no one knew how to use Photoshop?
Instead they do this cheaply?

[Flagguy30]

06:37 PM on 04/09/2012

Thanks for the laugh - have you ever used photoshop at all, let alone use it to get a person out from the middle of a group? Didn't think so.

[cheepseat]

06:01 AM on 04/09/2012

Good Friday was a slow news day for Laura Hibbard.

Hopefully this kid has a good sense of humor. Let it go!

[Fallingsickness13]

05:57 PM on 04/08/2012

Looking at the context of the situation, it wasn't to me intentionally offensive and could have been much worse. They could have given him a white face and be accused of "whitewashing" the class photo. They could have even given him the minstrel look with black skin and bright red lips and that would have been a blatant and obvious racist act. It was the PTA that recommended to use a smiley face. I think the principle saw this as a miscommunication and inadvertent slight and is why they rescheduled the shoot. The teachers and school staff need to ensure that all students have their permission forms filled out.

[Madbunny]

03:26 PM on 04/08/2012

Would have been better if it was a Guyfawks smiley.

[Kriol Kidd]

01:33 PM on 04/08/2012

Nothing offensive here......just really, really, really, really..........dumb......