By Ayesha Hana Shaji
Texas Metro News Staff
Once again a social media platform is at the center of controversy.
On Jan. 30, a seventh grader from Cobb Middle School and his two friends decided to play a TikTok prank on teachers. Unfortunately, the results of the prank weren’t just giggles and wiggles but in-school suspension (ISS) and alternative school.
Jordan Thomas, 13, has been described as a student with good grades and a quiet demeanor. According to his mother, Carla Broom, he is also a goofy kid but never disrespectful.
The incident took place as the students were walking back to their classes after lunch. Thomas said the trio had decided to participate in one of the latest Tik-Tok fads, the mumbling prank; where a prankster begins to ask a question but mumbles halfway through to confuse the other person.
Thomas went up to a teacher and said, “Can I get a blah blah blah?”
The teacher responded back by reversing the joke onto the student.
The purpose of the prank, explained Broom, is to get the other person confused and make them ask, “what?”
After a good laugh at the first teacher’s expense, Thomas and his friends walked up to the next teacher and tried repeating the prank. However, the second teacher, Ms. Branch, reportedly heard sexual favors from Thomas rather than mumbles.
Immediately, Thomas received in-school suspension from assistant principal Clay Grubb.
Later that day, his mother was notified of claims that Thomas asked for sexual favors from two teachers.
The assistant principal later changed his statement to Thomas “interacted” with two teachers.
He then closed the case. However, on Feb. 9, Thomas received a green slip saying he was banned from attending the school’s pep rally the next day.
When Broom went in to discuss the action, she said Grubb told her the case was now handled by another assistant principal, Reaunna Johnson.
Johnson, who is also Black, re-opened the case on undisclosed accounts and said she was placing Thomas in an alternative school for 45 days.
“I wasn’t notified then, I’m not notified now,” Broom said. “You guys are just dishing out punishments.”
According to Broom, Johnson reopened the case because of retaliation. Previously, Thomas was falsely accused of defecating in the toilet sink. When Broom found out how her son was unjustly accused and punished, she demanded that assistant principals Grubb and Johnson apologize to Thomas.
Broom said their bruised egos might be part of Thomas’ current predicament.
Thomas’ stepfather, Terrence Freeman said he’s afraid that this experience will affect Thomas, causing him to see the world in a more cynical manner from the happy boy that he is.
“He’s just a nice kid and unfortunately, the world doesn’t care that much about the feelings of the young Black males coming up,” he said. “Everything’s a threat.” This is not the first time a Black student has been unjustly punished by the Frisco ISD officials.
Kenya Nicholson, mother of Kingston Bardley, said she had to change districts and schools because of how intense the Frisco’s punishments were.
Bardley was in the Frisco ISD until sixth grade and has since moved to McKinney and now attends school in Allen ISD
“He always kept getting in trouble at school,” she said. “But I started noticing that he was only getting in trouble with his teachers that were of a different race than him.”
If Bardley had a Black teacher that year, Nicholson would not receive any calls. Bardley was also constantly in ISS and the teachers “pestered” Nicholson to put her son in special education classes.
Since moving schools, Bardley has had a clean record and his grades have also improved, his mother said.
Meanwhile, Thomas is receiving legal representation from Denton-based defense attorney, George Roland.
A meeting with FISD officials and Thomas’ parents has been rescheduled. When reached for comment, FISD Communications Assistant Director & Project Manager Korinna Kirchhoff responded, “The District values the privacy of students and staff and an interview will not be granted to you on this topic. Please do not reach out to the campus or individual employees.”
This is a developing story and will continue to be updated.
Ayesha Hana Shaji is a 2022 graduate of the University of Texas at Arlington, where she was on The Shorthorn staff.
