The mother of a sixth-grader on Long Island, New York says that when her daughter’s class assigned a “hero” project, she was denied being able to honor President Donald Trump.
11-year-old Bella Moscato was excited to choose Trump. “Donald Trump is my hero,” she told Long Island’s News 12.
“The 45th U.S. president has been Bella’s idol since she was 8 years old, which is why she dressed up as Trump for a third-grade class project,” News 12 reports. “But Bella says when she told her sixth-grade teacher that Trump was her choice for the hero project, the teacher nixed the idea.”
Bella says her teacher allegedly said that President Trump “spreads negativity and says bad stuff about women.” Her teacher reportedly said this in front of the rest of her class and in the presence of another teacher.
Bella claims her teacher said she needed to pick someone other than Trump as her hero.
“Donald Trump is my hero”
“Bella’s mother, Valerie Moscato, says she was outraged when her daughter called her from school about the incident. She says what the teacher did amounts to intimidation and censorship,” News 12 reports. “Arthur Moscato, the girl’s father, says he can’t believe someone would tell his daughter that the current U.S. president cannot be her hero.”
The following is the statement Sachem Central School District Superintendent Dr. Kenneth Graham issued to News 12:
It is not accurate that this student was told that they were not allowed to conduct research or report on any individual for a school assignment, including President Trump. To the best of our knowledge, by choice the student is still conducting their project of President Trump.
Bella’s mom and dad are siding with their daughter and seem to not believe the superintendent’s statement.
“No one should make a child feel that way, and you’re supposed to protect my child,” says Arthur Moscato.
Bella’s parents say their daughter deserves an apology from the teacher.
A child should be able to come to their own conclusions about a person without the bias and interference of those who are supposed to teach them. Hopefully, this teacher has learned her lesson.