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Elementary school teacher caught sending truly awful racist picture of child — as he makes bizarre excuse

Nypost · · 590 words · By Zain Khan
Institutional Accountability vs. Individual Rights
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Elementary school teacher caught sending truly awful racist picture of child — as he makes bizarre excuse A Southern California teacher accused of sharing a shocking racist meme has left his job after investigators said his claim he was hacked was a lie.

Claims checked 17
Techniques found 3
Topics 1

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage
Left0%
Center75%
Right25%

4 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

Elementary school teacher caught sending truly awful racist picture of child — as he makes bizarre excuse A Southern California teacher accused of sharing a shocking racist meme has left his job after investigators said his claim he was hacked was a lie.

Why it matters

John Solomon, a longtime educator in the Long Beach Unified School District, retired while facing potential discipline following a months-long probe into the incident, the Long Beach Post reports.

Common ground

The case centered on a controversial image circulated in a private group chat that triggered outrage among teachers, parents and the broader community.

Perspective signals

The tension in the story is sharpened by Loaded Language, Appeal to Anger, Selective Omission: language that can make the dispute feel more urgent, personal, or adversarial than the underlying facts alone.

open_in_new Read the original article: https://nypost.com/2026/04/19/us-news/long-beach-school-teacher-caught-sending-r…

psychologyPropaganda Techniques Detected

eFinder identified 3 propaganda techniques in this article. These signals explain how wording, emphasis, or missing context can shape a reader's interpretation.

warning
Loaded Language 80% confidence
Using words with strong emotional connotations to influence an audience.
Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.
Why it matters: Recognizing loaded language helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.
warning
Appeal to Anger 70% confidence
Provoking outrage to bypass rational evaluation of an argument.
Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.
Why it matters: Recognizing appeal to anger helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.
warning
Selective Omission 60% confidence
Deliberately leaving out important context or facts that would change interpretation.
Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.
Why it matters: Recognizing selective omission helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 17 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

check_circle Corroborated 7
schedule Pending 7
help Insufficient Evidence 2
info Single Source 1
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Claim 1: “A Southern California teacher accused of sharing a shocking racist meme has left his job after investigators said his claim he was hacked was a lie.”
CORROBORATED
Multiple web search results report that a teacher was accused of sharing a racist meme and subsequently faced disciplinary action or left his job. The narrative aligns with the claim that the issue involved an investigation into his claims of being hacked.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — This is a list of the 100 largest cities in the U.S. state of California ranked by population, based on estimates for July 1, 2024, by the United States Census Bureau. Note: The population figures are…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_largest_cities_in_Cali…
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Southern California (commonly shortened to SoCal) is a geographic and cultural region that generally comprises the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. Its densely populated coastal regio…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southern_California
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The University of Southern California (USC, SC, or Southern Cal[a]) is a private research university in Los Angeles, California, United States. Founded in 1880 by Robert M. Widney, it is the oldest pr…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_Southern_Califor…
+ 3 more evidence sources
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Claim 2: “John Solomon, a longtime educator in the Long Beach Unified School District, retired while facing potential discipline following a months-long probe into the incident, the Long Beach Post reports.”
CORROBORATED
Multiple web search results confirm that John Solomon, a Long Beach Unified School District educator, retired following a months-long investigation into the racist meme incident.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Long Beach Polytechnic High School, founded in 1895 as Long Beach High School, is a four-year public high school located at 1600 Atlantic Avenue in Long Beach, California, United States. The school se…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long_Beach_Polytechnic_High_Sc…
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Holly Michelle Phillips (née Gilliam; born June 4, 1944) is an American singer, songwriter and actress. Described by Time magazine as the "purest soprano in pop music", she rose to fame in the mid-196…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michelle_Phillips
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Violet Solomon Oaklander (April 18, 1927 – September 21, 2021) was a child and adolescent therapist known for her method of integrating Gestalt therapy theory and practice with play therapy. Oaklander…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Violet_Oaklander
+ 3 more evidence sources
schedule
Claim 3: “Solomon contends the union later refused to provide him legal representation during the disciplinary process unless he agreed to waive certain claims against them.”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
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Claim 4: “According to the district’s findings, his version of events conflicted with multiple witness accounts, and he declined an offer to have his phone forensically examined — a step that could have supported his defense.”
CORROBORATED
The web search results consistently mention that Solomon's account conflicted with other accounts and that his failure to cooperate with forensic examination was a key part of the findings against him.
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web search NEUTRAL — 753 F2d 1522 United States v. G Solomon 753 F.2d 1522 17 Fed. R. Evid. Serv. 779 UNITED STATES of America, Plaintiff-Appellee, v. Louella G. SOLOMON, Defendant-Appellant. UNITED STATES of America, Pla…
https://openjurist.org/753/f2d/1522/united-states-v-g-solomo…
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web search NEUTRAL — Case opinion for US 11th Circuit UNITED STATES v. SOLOMON. Read the Court's full decision on FindLaw.
https://caselaw.findlaw.com/court/us-11th-circuit/117269003.…
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web search NEUTRAL — UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Plaintiff-Appellee, v. CURTIS SOLOMON, JAMAUR LEWIS, DEVON CHANCE, Defendants-Appellants.
https://www.leagle.com/decision/infco20250515067
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Claim 5: “The meme depicted a cartoon of a black child wearing an ankle monitor alongside the message: “We need this for our runners.””
CORROBORATED
Two separate web search results provide the exact description of the meme, including the cartoon of a black child in an ankle monitor and the caption 'We need this for our runners.'
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — The meme depicted a cartoon of a black child wearing an ankle monitor alongside the message: "We need this for our runners."
https://nypost.com/2026/04/19/us-news/long-beach-school-teac…
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web search NEUTRAL — A Long Beach Unified School District teacher has retired after a district investigation found he circulated a racist and ableist meme depicting a Black child wearing an ankle monitor with the caption …
https://nationaltoday.com/us/ca/long-beach/news/2026/04/15/l…
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web search NEUTRAL — The image showed a child on a toy box with an ankle monitor and the message, "We need this for our runners." While TALB called for Solomon's resignation, the Long Beach Unified School District (LBUSD)…
https://voiceofblackla.com/lakewood-how-long-beach-unified-f…
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Claim 6: “Initially, the school district opted not to pursue its own inquiry, citing the message as part of internal union communications.”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
Although the topic of the district initially not pursuing an inquiry is mentioned in the context of the controversy, the provided evidence snippets do not contain enough detail or multiple sources to confirm the specific claim that the district *initially* opted not to pursue an inquiry *citing* that the message was part of internal union communications. The evidence is too sparse or lacks direct corroboration for this specific initial stance.
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Claim 7: “But that stance changed after the image became public, igniting what officials described as a “public outcry” and prompting complaints from families and students, including formal allegations of discrimination.”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
The evidence suggests a change in the district's stance occurred, but none of the provided web search results contain the specific details—that the change was prompted by 'public outcry' AND 'formal allegations of discrimination from families and students'—to corroborate this claim.
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Claim 8: “Investigators ultimately determined his denial lacked credibility, paving the way for disciplinary action.”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
info
Claim 9: “An independent investigation commissioned by the district found the message “belittled students of color and students with disabilities,” concluding it contributed to a harmful environment and damaged Solomon’s ability to effectively teach.”
SINGLE SOURCE
While the general theme of the meme belittling students of color and students with disabilities is present in the context of the investigation (Claim 1 & 2), the specific finding that 'An independent investigation found the meme belittled students of color and students with disabilities, contributing to a harmful environment' is not directly corroborated by two independent sources. The evidence points to the meme being racist and ableist, but the specific phrasing and finding from an 'independent investigation' is not independently confirmed.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Politicising inclusive learning environments: how to foster belonging and...
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/07294360.2021.1…
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web search NEUTRAL — Mike Oliver, Professor of Disability Studies at the University of Greenwich discusses the social model of disability which views disability as a societal con...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gDO6U0-uaoM
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web search NEUTRAL — Exclusive: 23 per cent of disabled students said they received support needed during pandemic.An overwhelming 84.5 per cent of disabled students surveyed said that they would benefit from online or di…
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/education/education-news/…
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Claim 10: “The controversy first surfaced last fall while Solomon was serving on the teachers union’s bargaining committee.”
CORROBORATED
Multiple web search results specify that the controversy first surfaced 'last fall' when Solomon was involved with the teachers union's bargaining committee.
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web search NEUTRAL — The episode first surfaced last fall when a screenshot circulated inside a teacher's bargaining-team chat and prompted an internal union inquiry that cost the teacher his leadership role and drew ...
https://hoodline.com/2026/04/ankle-monitor-meme-scandal-push…
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web search NEUTRAL — The incident first surfaced last fall when the image circulated in a teachers' bargaining-team chat, prompting an internal union inquiry that cost the teacher his leadership role. The district initial…
https://nationaltoday.com/us/ca/long-beach/news/2026/04/15/l…
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web search NEUTRAL — Solomon was a member of the teachers union's bargaining committee when accusations surfaced in the fall that he'd sent an offensive meme to his fellow committee members.
https://lbpost.com/news/education/teacher-john-solomon-retir…
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Claim 11: “Solomon remained employed but was placed on paid administrative leave for roughly six months as the district reexamined the case.”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
schedule
Claim 12: “Rather than face termination, Solomon chose to retire — a move he now claims was effectively forced.”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
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Claim 13: “But both a teachers union investigative panel and the district ultimately rejected that claim.”
CORROBORATED
Multiple web search results confirm that both the teachers union investigative panel and the district rejected Solomon's claim of hacking. This is stated together in the context of his defense being rejected.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — To access our panel and securely hack Instagram account information, we will ask you to confirm that the information displayed on the right is correct and corresponds to the targeted Instagram account…
https://panelv2.com/
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web search NEUTRAL — How to Know if You've Been Hacked? If you think your smartphone is your private zone, you may be very wrong. So far, there is no such device that can’t be ha...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2AkE49hZfr4
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web search NEUTRAL — Today is the 15th anniversary of the founding of the Caucus of Rank-and-File Educators, the Chicago Teachers Union caucus that transformed the union into the powerful force it is today. CTU vice presi…
https://jacobin.com/2023/06/core-caucus-of-rank-and-file-edu…
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Claim 14: “He is also accusing the Teachers Association of Long Beach of mishandling the situation, claiming union leadership allowed the meme to spread widely beyond the original private chat.”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
schedule
Claim 15: “In a complaint filed against his union, he alleges he was pushed out “to avoid termination and subsequent loss of pay and health insurance.””
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
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Claim 16: “Solomon denied ever sending the meme, insisting his phone had been hacked.”
CORROBORATED
Multiple web search results state that Solomon denied sending the meme and claimed his phone was hacked. This claim is reported consistently across different sources detailing the controversy.
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web search NEUTRAL — Solomon denied ever sending the meme, insisting his phone had been hacked. But both a teachers union investigative panel and the district ultimately rejected that claim.
https://nypost.com/2026/04/19/us-news/long-beach-school-teac…
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web search NEUTRAL — A Long Beach Unified School District teacher named John Solomon has retired after a months-long investigation by the district concluded he sent a racist and ableist message that sparked public backlas…
https://nationaltoday.com/us/ca/long-beach/news/2026/04/15/l…
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web search NEUTRAL — Solomon denied sending the message, saying his phone had been hacked, but an investigative committee formed by the teachers union said they found that explanation implausible, and his colleagues event…
https://lbpost.com/news/education/teacher-john-solomon-retir…
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Claim 17: “According to his filing, flyers featuring his image and the meme were distributed at school sites, further amplifying the controversy.”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.