By Dianne Anderson

Backlash continues to grow as higher officials call for Teachers Association of Long Beach Secretary John Solomon to step down as union secretary for allegedly sharing a racist image of a small Black child with an ankle bracelet in a group text with the bargaining team.

Last week, in a joint statement, Long Beach Mayor Rex Richardson, Councilmembers Joni Ricks-Oddie and Tunua Thrash-Ntuk, LBCC Board President Uduak-Joe Ntuk, LBCC Vice President Ennette Morton, and LBUSD School Board Member Erik Miller condemned TALB Executive Board member John Solomon for sharing the message with the union’s negotiations committee.

“We are outraged that a member of the Teachers Association of Long Beach’s Executive Board, John Solomon, shared a racist and ableist message with TALB’s negotiations committee,” they said, adding the behavior is harmful to Black students and students with disabilities, and unworthy of any leader in education at a time when trust in the schools and unions is vital.

“Mr. Solomon should do the right thing and resign immediately rather than force TALB to divert critical time and resources away from contract negotiations that directly impact teachers and students,” they wrote. “As representatives of this community, we cannot stay silent. Every student deserves leaders who uphold dignity, equity, and respect.”

That image, which was first published in the Long Beach Post, shows an apparent AI generated picture of a smiling Black child with a colorful toy like “My First Ankle Monitor” on his leg, with text saying, “We need this for our runners!” implying disabled children run from supervision.

Solomon is on administrative leave from his fourth and fifth grade teaching position at MacArthur Elementary. He denied sending the image, reportedly attributing it to unauthorized access to his phone.

In recent weeks, calls for his resignation have grown, with several top officials speaking out.

State Sen. Lena Gonzalez, D-Long Beach, condemned the racist image and text allegedly shared, calling it “horrendous” and urging the district to investigate.

“Racist, disparaging comments about any child in our Long Beach schools should never be tolerated. But learning about the racist text and photo shared by an LBUSD teacher, who is supposed to have the trust of colleagues, students, and parents, is horrendous,” she said in a statement.

Black children in public schools should always feel safe in their learning environments, she added, and educators should ensure children, especially those facing higher rates of discrimination and inequity, are embraced with strong support systems that allow them to be uplifted and thrive.

“As a mom of an LBUSD kid, I urge the district to thoroughly investigate the racist text and photo. Our Long Beach families deserve better,” said Gonzalez, chair of the California Latino Legislative Caucus.

Assemblymember Mike A. Gipson, D-Carson, also called for Solomon to resign, stating he is joining the Mayor of Long Beach, several city councilmembers, and school board members in urging Solomon to step down from his leadership role.

Given the current climate of heightened racism, Gipson emphasized that such a racist, blatantly defamatory message attributed to a labor leader and local teacher must not go unchecked.

“I ask: Is this the vision Mr. Solomon has for the future of our Black children in Long Beach and our surrounding communities?,” he said. “I am joining the Mayor of the City of Long Beach, multiple members of the Long Beach City Council, and multiple members of the Long Beach Unified School District Board of Education and calling for Mr. Solomon to do the right thing. He must step down from his leadership role as the secretary of the Teachers Association of Long Beach.”

Leadership roles in unions are typically closely watched, as their decisions and communications can impact teachers, students, and parents throughout the district.

According to the TALB website, Solomon resigned from the bargaining committee but remains the union’s secretary. In response to inquiries, TALB President Gerry Morrison issued a brief statement.

“The Teachers Association of Long Beach is against racism in all its forms,” Morrison said in an email. “The Long Beach Unified School District is looking into this incident, and we hope the matter is resolved swiftly and thoroughly.”