by Jeroslyn JoVonn

October 6, 2025

A mother is raising concerns after a teacher used the word ‘monkey’ while singing ‘Happy Birthday’ to her son.

A mother is speaking out after a teacher used the word “monkey” in her 6-year-old son’s birthday song.

Desarae Prather, mother of 6-year-old Legend Whitaker, was outraged after receiving a video from her son’s teacher at Floral Avenue Elementary in Bartow, Florida, showing the version of ‘Happy Birthday’ sung to her Black son, 11 Alive reports.

“Happy Birthday to you. You live in the zoo, you look like a monkey, and you smell like one too,” the teacher can be heard singing.

“I automatically said, ‘That’s unacceptable.’ And I don’t think there’s anything funny about it,” Prather told 10 Tampa Bay News in a clip shared online.

‼️UPDATE: A WHITE teacher thought it was “funny” to sing a RACIST version of the birthday song to a Black 6-year-old student on his special day.

In front of the class, she mocked him with:

🎶 “Happy Birthday to you… You look like a monkey, you live in a zoo.”

The elementary… https://t.co/i7B5t4O62O pic.twitter.com/LjD488IqXJ

— i Expose Racists & Pedos (@SeeRacists) October 2, 2025

Prather said she went straight to the principal after the teacher sent her a video of the moment.

“I don’t like stuff like that,” Whitaker said, adding that the song hurt his feelings.

She highlighted the racist history of the word “monkey” and explained why its use in a school setting is deeply upsetting.

“My skin is boiling. I don’t even like racism, and to know where we come from, and our ancestors, and for us to be labeled like that, because when they call us, ‘Monkey,’ they’re saying we’re ugly; we act like monkeys,” Prather said. “Those are remarks I don’t like it at all.”

In a letter to the school board, Prather demanded an apology, immediate disciplinary action, and counseling for her son. After receiving no response, she went to the school in person and was informed that an investigation is underway to review the incident.

“No child should have to go to school and feel like they can’t confide in an authority figure without them calling them racial slurs, and that goes for any kid, not just my child,” Prather said. “Now I have to seek counseling for him because he was crying for not to be back in her class or even go back to that school.”

Following the incident, Prather said her son is too upset to return to school, fearing his classmates will call him a “monkey.” Although he was moved to a different classroom after the incident, he hasn’t gone back, and Prather now plans to transfer him to a new school.

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