Thousands sign petition backing Idaho teachers who dressed as border wall for Halloween

An online petition has drawn more than 10,000 signatures in support of 14 Idaho teachers suspended for wearing Halloween costume caricatures of Latinos at a border wall emblazoned with "Make America Great Again."

Some teachers at Middleton Heights Elementary, 30 miles northwest of Boise, posed smiling behind large pieces of cardboard painted to look like brick walls – with President Donald Trump's catchphrase painted in red, white and blue. Others wore fake handlebar mustaches, straw hats and carried brightly colored maracas.

The photos circulated on social media. Outrage soon followed. Schools Superintendent Josh Middleton suspended the teachers with pay pending further investigation.

"I was shown those photos and was deeply troubled by the decision by our staff members to wear those costumes that are clearly insensitive," Middleton said. "We are better than this."

More:Idaho teachers placed on leave for border wall Halloween costumes

The Idaho Education Association issued a statement calling the incident disturbing, adding the it reflected extremely poor judgment on the part of the staff involved. The association said it stands "ready, willing, and able to assist the district in providing diversity and cultural competency training for Middleton School District employees.

The online petition was directed at the superintendent. It acknowledges that the photos were "very controversial" but suggests that the issue was "blown out of proportion."

"This was a team-building exercise done after school with no students present or involved," the petition says. "We fully believe in our staff at Middleton Heights and don't feel that this should cost the men and women involved their jobs and cause further stress to our children." 

A competing petition, however, has drawn almost as many signatures. It is entitled "No racism in Middleton School District" and describes the costumes as disturbing, bigoted and racist.

The petition demands changes in school culture through a curriculum that provides awareness of "systemic racism."

"The gross display of dehumanization of Latinx children and the outrageous harm caused by trusted adults that they learn from and look up to cannot be ignored and swept under the rug with a simple apology," the petition says. "More is required of the teachers and administrators to repair the harm caused to their students, to their community, and to Idaho."

Census data from 2017 indicate that Middleton is about 90% white and less than 10% Latino.