Teens Kicked Out of School for ‘Blackface’ Photo Receive $1 Million After Proving it Was Acne Mask

After demonstrating that the “Blackface” photo was an acne mask, teens who were expelled for it were awarded $1 million.

A miscommunication at Mountain View, California’s Saint Francis High School resulted in the expulsion of a few pupils in 2017. Since the school thought these children had worn blackface, there were severe repercussions right away. It was eventually discovered, though, that the pupils were only using an acne treatment mask. The kids have received a $1 million compensation as a result of this realization, which has caused a significant turn in the events.

Trouble Resulted from Blackface

A picture of three 14-year-old boys from the school went viral online and sparked uproar, which sparked the start of the trouble. The boys were charged with making fun of a terrible period in American history. It was quickly ascertained, although, that this was a misunderstanding. The boys were only helping a friend who was using a skincare mask to treat his acne.

Highlighted was Saint Francis High School, which is renowned for its rigorous academic standards and dedication to student growth. Although the contentious image was uploaded in 2017, it wasn’t until 2020—during a time of increased sensitivity to racial issues—that it came to light.

Gaining Notoriety During Debate

In 2020, the year of the COVID-19 epidemic and major social turmoil, the photo went viral. Since it seemed to depict the students in blackface, they were expelled right away. The boys encountered strong criticism from their community; their identities have been withheld for their security.

The lads said that the reason for their faces’ dark color was an acne mask that begins green and becomes darker as it dries. The miscommunication caused by the photo’s brightness further led to the boys being falsely accused by school officials.

Blackface Myths

After reviewing the case this week, the Santa Clara County Court concluded that the boys had been unfairly charged. The lads were expelled without having received the requisite due process, the court found. This means that every student will get $500,000 in addition to their $70,000 tuition being paid back. “This case is significant not only for our clients but for its groundbreaking effect on all private high schools in California,” said Krista Baughman, one of the teen’s attorneys. The unfairness of Saint Francis High School’s practices was duly confirmed by the jury.

The lads initially accused the school of defamation and breaching their right to free speech, and they launched a lawsuit seeking $20 million. Even though they didn’t get the entire sum, their families and legal team view the settlement as a win.

Saint Francis High School has stated that it disagrees with the court’s ruling and is thinking about all of its legal options, including filing an appeal. “We want to sincerely thank the jury and the court system for helping our boys and our families find justice and clear their names,” said a statement from one of the boys’ families.

Amazing Skincare

The mislabeled mask was actually a part of an Origins skincare collection. Origins, a well-known brand in skincare thanks to its natural approach, has been around since the 1980s and offers a variety of products that address everything from oil control to face brightening. Due to its dedication to using only plant-based components, the brand is well-known all over the world.

Given the racial tensions that exist in the nation today, it is not shocking that a picture that seems to depict blackface would be misinterpreted. Dark-colored substances like charcoal have gained popularity in cosmetic goods like acne masks and toothpaste that whitens teeth. Particularly in the beauty sector, these goods are here to stay.

Dan Haggerty, Who Played Grizzly Adams

In the 1974 motion picture “The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams” and the corresponding NBC television series, Dan Haggerty played a bear named Ben and a gentle mountain man with a thick beard. Haggerty died in Burbank, California, on Friday.

His age was 73 years old.

Terry Bomar, his manager and friend, said that spine cancer was the cause.

A producer invited Mr. Haggerty, who worked as an animal trainer and stuntman in Hollywood, to recreate parts of the movie’s opening moments, which featured a woodsman and his bear.

The story, which was based on Charles Sellier Jr.’s book “The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams,” told the story of a California man who flees the woods after being falsely convicted of murder. There, he tames an abandoned bear and makes friends with the local fauna.

Mr. Haggerty agreed, as long as he could play the entire movie. At last, ticket sales for the film nearly hauled in $30 million after it was redone for $155,000. Subsequently, it was adapted for television, and in February 1977, Mr. Haggerty resumed his role as the forest’s protector and animal friend, with an emphasis on environmental issues.

The New York Times writer John Leonard called the first episode “lukewarm to the heart.” The man and bear who have taken up residence in a log cabin are visited by Mad Jack (Denver Pyle) and the honorable red man Makuma (Don Shanks), who bring bread and advice. As they leave the cabin, the man traps his fur and the bear washes it. Along with a lump in the throat, there’s also a lot of wildlife connection with raccoons, owls, deer, rabbits, hawks, badgers, and cougars.

Mr. Haggerty, who later won the 1978 People’s Choice Award for best new series actor, was won over by viewers of the show because to its cozy and nostalgic appeal. The 1978 television film “Legend of the Wild,” which was eventually shown in theaters in 1981, and the 1982 television film “The Capture of Grizzly Adams,” which followed Adams as he was hauled back to his hometown by bounty hunters in an attempt to clean his record, were the products of “Grizzly Adams.”

Daniel Francis Haggerty was born in Los Angeles on November 19, 1942. His upbringing was challenging following his parents’ divorce when he was three years old, and he frequently broke out of military school. He eventually went into Burbank, California, to live with his actor father.

At seventeen, he was married to Diane Rooker. The marriage ended in divorce. He lost Samantha Hilton, his second wife, in a motorcycle accident in 2008. Don, Megan, Tracy, Dylan, and Cody are his surviving children.

He costarred as body builder Biff alongside Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello in his feature début, “Muscle Beach Party,” released in 1964. Then came appearances in documentaries about the natural world and motorcycling, like “Bearded Biker” and “Biker With Bandana.” He briefly appeared in the movie “Easy Rider” as a guest of Dennis Hopper and Peter Fonda in the hippie commune.

On his small ranch in Malibu Canyon, Mr. Haggerty actually housed a variety of wild creatures that he had either tamed from birth or saved from harm. In addition to occasional parts in films, his talents earned him work as an animal trainer and stuntman on the television series Tarzan and Daktari. In 1978, he claimed, “People magazine didn’t like actors jumping on them.”

In his outdoor-themed films, “Where the North Wind Blows” (1974) and “The Adventures of Frontier Fremont” (1976), he played a Siberian tiger trapper. He made an appearance as a dog trainer in the David Carradine film “Americana” (1983). In the 1997 film “Grizzly Mountain” and the 2000 film “Escape to Grizzly Mountain,” he played a character that bore a strong resemblance to Grizzly Adams.

Mr. Haggerty played an inebriated mall Santa in horror films including “Axe Giant: The Wrath of Paul Bunyan” (2013), “Terror Night” (1987), and “Elves” (1989) as his career declined. In 1985, he was sentenced to ninety days in prison for providing cocaine to two undercover police agents.

In 1977, a careless diner with a burning cocktail set fire to Mr. Haggerty’s famous beard. He made a third-degree burn attempt on his arms while attempting to douse the fire. He was admitted to the hospital, where he would probably need a month of therapy.

He told People, “I was like a wounded wolf trying to heal myself for the first few days—I just laid in the dark room drinking water.” “Nurses tried to give me morphine and pushed me to open the curtains.” Sometimes, however, animals know more about medicine than people do. He walked out of the hospital after ten days.

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