Hillsborough Teacher Removed After Video Simulating Lynching: Reports

LITHIA, FL — A teacher at Barrington Middle School in Lithia has been removed after a classroom video of a simulated lynching circulated on social media and drew backlash from parents and community members, according to multiple reports.

In the video, which a student recorded, art teacher Karen Savage is seen wrapping a charger cord around a Black doll’s neck and hanging it from a television, the Tampa Bay Times reported. (The full video can be seen here.)

Hillsborough County Public Schools said the incident happened on Monday and confirmed the teacher involved has been removed from the classroom, reports said.

The mother of the 14-year-old student who recorded the video told Tampa Bay 28 that her son sent it to her during the school day and that she picked him up because she was concerned about his safety and mental well-being.

“Why are we dealing with this in 2026?” the student’s mother told the station. “Why are my young Black children not able to go to school without having to be reminded of a torturous, horrific past? He’s there to get his education.”

She later told WFLA, “We don’t want to remember lynchings and Jim Crow and separation and division, and we try to get away from all of those things. Our children are supposed to be able to go to school and not have to worry about being reminded of our past, of things that we had to experience.”

Her son told WTSP that students initially reacted to the incident with nervous laughter before the mood became more serious.

“Everybody started telling [Savage] it was wrong and racist to do that,” he said. “And then she said it was just a joke, and then she took down the doll.”

He told WFLA that he recorded the incident so that there was proof it happened.

Savage tried to prevent him from reporting it, he added. “She followed me after class was over, and that’s when she started talking over me and not letting me speak when I was trying to report what she did.”

Superintendent Van Ayres released the following statement, according to media outlets:

“I am aware of an inappropriate and highly offensive display that took place in a classroom yesterday at Barrington Middle School. The content of this display is unacceptable and does not reflect the values of our school community, or me as your Superintendent, and will not be tolerated. As soon as school administrators were made aware, they took immediate action and referred the matter to the district’s Office of Professional Standards. The staff member involved has been removed from the school.

"We are committed to fostering a caring, supportive learning environment where every student feels respected, valued, and safe. We recognize that incidents like this cause concern among students, families, and the broader community.

"Please know that I take this matter extremely seriously and will continue to address it with transparency and urgency.”