Killeen: Claim teacher confiscated notebook was false, local district says

A claim that a Harker Heights High School teacher confiscated a student’s spiral notebook that triggered a social media storm that escalated to accusations of racism was false, the Killeen ISD said Wednesday.

“After further investigation by campus administration, the family involved in the 1alleged notebook post1 was identified and contacted. We can confirm the student still has her notebook, and it was never confiscated by a teacher or any other KISD employee,” the district said in a statement Wednesday morning.

The district earlier said it had been unable to substantiate the claim, but that it was having difficulty contacting the girl’s parent or guardian.

The girl’s godmother told KWTX Tuesday she purchased the notebook, whose cover features a young girl with an Afro and a hair bow and the words “Princess University,” from the website CocoaTwins.com, which supplies planners and stationery featuring people of color.

She said her goddaughter later told her the notebook had been confiscated, a claim the district now says was false.