Principal Alisha Coleman-Kiner, a Memphis, Tenn. high school principal, isn’t about to let anyone come down on her or “her baby” for her decision on how to honor a slain student from her high school.
The Booker T. Washington High School principal recently took to Facebook to respond to an email regarding her decision to allow the 1-year-old son of her late student, Myneisha Johnson, walk the stage and accept her high school diploma in honor of his mother.
Johnson was shot and killed just a week before her graduation. She was attending an event when gunman Kwasi Corbin,19, open fired into the crowd, which resulted in Johnson’s death and the injury of 2 others. As a result of the tragedy, Johnson’s principal decided to let her 1-year-old son Kylan walk the stage to accept his mother’s diploma, which most would and do view as a kind tribute, but it wasn’t long before Coleman-Kiner started receiving complaints about the message that allowing Johnson’s son’s participation in graduation activities could be sending.
“The death of any young person is tragic.
But to allow someone else to walk across the stage to accept her diploma is one thing but then give it to her young infant is another. What are you thinking? The attitude and culture of the inner city youth need to change and doing this it won’t’ you’re acknowledging and celebrating this young child whose mother was tragically killed when in all fairness probably should have been home taking care of that young infant who now has no mother and quite frankly don’t know who this father is.
Food for thought.”
Coleman-Kiner wasn’t about to let anyone judge her for the decision, however, and took to social media to respond. “Thank you so much for your unsolicited ‘food’ for thought,” she wrote in response to the email. “After regurgitating the washback you just emailed (as it was definitely not ‘food’), I offer the following appetizer, entrée, and dessert for you to consider…”
Keep reading to see the amazing read that followed that introduction below:
Photo Credit: Alisha Coleman-Kiner/Facebook