Jennifer Leja, a middle school teacher at Hyde Park Middle School in the Clark County School District, sparked controversy with a series of TikTok videos where she labeled White people as “problematic” and criticized education as “racist.” In these videos, posted in October 2021, Leja expressed support for statements such as dress codes being sexist, education being inherently racist, history being whitewashed, and White teachers being problematic. Leja, who identified herself as a White teacher, discussed the need to address these issues and improve education by diversifying the teaching workforce and encouraging BIPOC students to pursue higher education. She acknowledged that current White teachers, including herself, have work to do in confronting these challenges. Leja also responded to comments on her videos, including using song lyrics to dismiss criticism and discussing her frustrations regarding misgendering incidents involving a student.
