The ideas that are instilled in young people’s minds are likely going to be the roots of their ideology for the rest of their lives. One man and History teacher, Ron Johnson of Austintown Middle School, has dedicated his career to not only filling students’ minds with revisionist history, selective teachings, false narratives, and dangerously opinionated preaching, but also the diminishing of what Americans call “racial justice”.

While freedom of speech is obviously an enabler of his actions, the endangering of undeveloped brains through the use of racist beliefs, weighs much heavier in balancing what should and should not be considered “okay”. While Johnson may be well-equipped with decades worth of knowledge on the topic of American history, his choice to boast about certain blatantly negative pieces of the subject in his classroom has gone on far too long without the call-outs of his co-workers, bosses, and fellow citizens of the Youngstown community.

Along with his racist teachings and beliefs within the school zone, he also chooses to express the same attitude about and negligence of African American students throughout his social media page. To be more specific, Johnson is notorious for being a Confederate soldier fan, and an avid influencer of pre-civil war ideology among his white students. 

Examples: 

Noted- “He once placed me right below his confederate flag IN HIS CLASSROOM, while knowing that I was the only black student in his class” ~ Former student 

”That guy is probably the most sexist and racist teacher that I have ever had, and he is enthusiastic about his character” ~ Former student

”He once told us as a class that ‘“blacks were better off as slaves because you wouldn’t kill a race horse if you could just whip it”’ ~Former student

...Those are only two of the examples out of hundreds that could possibly be provided. 

His Facebook name: Bedford Forest 

Nathan Bedford Forest was a Confederate General during the civil war. He is widely known as the main perpetrator for the Fort Pillow massacre, which resulted in the slaying of many Black soldiers of the Union. Bedford Forest is the most prominent figure to ever devote his life to the Ku Klux Klan, while also being the founder of such terroristic themes originally practiced by the group. Johnson chooses to claim the name Bedford Forest on facebook as memorabilia of this man. 

If a student of the school district chose to show as much of a racially motivated representation of “cultural value” through social media, they would indefinitely face punishment. The praising of this man throughout the community has gone on too long. There needs to be a change in his teachings or a replacement to cover for his dismissal!