A high school in Chicago, Illinois, is drawing attention online after a recording of a Black History Month play depicting slavery began circulating on social media. A disturbed teacher, who requested to remain anonymous, leaked a recording of the disturbing performance, as revealed in a TikTok clip that has since gone viral. While speaking to the outlet, the teacher shared that the play was done in February during Black History Month and was titled “The Journey Back to America.” According to him, the major concerns were the casting and the script.
The concerned teacher shared that Hispanic and Latino students were cast as the auctioneers and purchasers, while the African American students were dragged on stage as the slaves. In one scene from the video, the students performed a mock slave auction, while other pupils in the crowd bid dollar amounts. According to reports, some teachers and parents walked out during the performance. The disturbing play was confirmed to have been written by a faculty member of the school and had some very unsettling lines.
The anonymous teacher noted that when they shared their concern with Chicago Public Schools (CPS), the response was just as alarming as the play itself. No one took responsibility, and their concerns were minimized to a mere misinterpretation of the play. According to NBC Investigates, the clip was shown to Professor Alvin Tillery, director of the Center for Diversity and Democracy at Northwestern University, who analyzed the incident. He shared that while there was a need to educate students about the history, there were better ways to do it, calling the play “problematic.”
Public Indignation Mounts As Netizens Condemn Faculty Members’ Involvement.
The digital community was in grave outrage over the performance, reacting with sharp criticism and questioning the importance of forcing young children, parents, and teachers to relive the traumatic historical reenactment. One individual wrote, “Learning history is the opposite of indoctrination.” Someone else accused the staff of actively brainwashing the students with the inappropriate demonstration. Another expressed shock, noting that it was the wrong method to teach the students history.
An observer suggested that while provocative casting might be permissible in other forms of theater, using it in a school environment was completely wrong.
A TikToker expressed outrage that the school leaders were unaware of how unethical and triggering the performance was, calling for their immediate dismissal. Another stated bluntly that the performance was targeted to mock a particular race and insisted that the teacher be removed and ordered to undergo mandated behavioral training. A last user questioned how much further the nation seems to have backslidden into segregation. “In 2026? How far back to Jim Crow is this fvcking country going to go? Glad teachers walked out,” the comment read.
As the investigation into the incident continues, it serves as a reminder of how easily actions can be misinterpreted when not carried out sensitively.
