Daycare Livestream Appeared To Show White Children Eating Before Black Children

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April 11, 2021, 9:43 am

A confounding incident at a daycare in Roswell, Georgia, left parents concerned that Black children were being treated differently than their white peers — and they don’t seem to be getting any answers as to why.

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Adryan McCauley was checking in on the livestream his 2-year-old son’s daycare, Kids ‘R’ Kids, offered for parents when he noticed something strange. It was lunchtime, and every single white child visible on the screen had food in front of them, whereas every single Black child did not.

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“They were skipping all of the Black kids it seemed like,” McCauley told CBS46. “All the white kids got their lunch, and all the Black kids had to wait. From the videos and pictures that we saw today, we are just completely disturbed.”

McCauley says his child’s mother went to pick him up and demand an explanation regarding the clear split in which children were eating and which were not, but received an inadequate response.

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“‘I’m not really sure because I’m not in the classroom, maybe it’s a dietary thing,’” McCauley alleges the director said.

However, owner/director Dee Gillespie defended the situation, saying “We know the act was random, and the photo doesn’t show the entire room; we believe if the parents viewed the videos they would understand.”

She does not appear to have offered any sort of explanation for only the white children receiving lunch or elaborate on what exactly she believes the parents would understand.

And after the image went viral, Kids ‘R’ Kids corporate swiftly cut ties with Gillespie’s daycare.

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“The interactions captured on video by one of our families, yesterday, is disturbing and not in accordance with the inclusive culture that we promote at Kids ‘R’ Kids,” read a statement on their Instagram. “After further review and much consideration of the photo/video in question, our company has decided to terminate the franchisee’s Kids ‘R’ Kids contract and branding.”

While the swift action is being applauded by concerned onlookers, comments from the company’s CEO, David Vinson, were less reassuring.

“Perception is unfortunately reality, and with the cancel culture, unfortunately, it’s the perception,” Vinson said, adding that he wished “everybody would be able to see the video in its entirety first.”

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*First Published: April 11, 2021, 9:43 am