MIDDLETON, Idaho — Fourteen staff members at an Idaho school district who donned caricatured outfits depicting Mexican people and a border wall emblazoned with "Make America Great Again" have been placed on paid administrative leave.
Middleton School District superintendent Josh Middleton announced the decision Saturday at a special school board meeting.
After the announcement, the board went into executive session, which is not open to the public.
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Board Chairman Tim Winkle says the costumes were part of a team building activity after school hours.
Photos were posted to the district's Facebook page Thursday night and later removed, but screenshots captured the images that went viral.
"The school probably wasn't the best place for something like that," Brittney Lamkey, Middleton resident said.
While Sandria Deboard, another Middleton resident, defended the staff members and their actions.
"It wasn't done in front of the children. I do not believe for one second that any of those teachers meant anything derogatory," Deboard said.
Both women agree though that they do not want to see the staff members lose their jobs because of the costume controversy,
Middleton is about 34 miles west of Boise, with 7,500 residents. The school district offers a migrant education program.