Target Pulls Item Highlighting Civil Rights Icons After TikTok Video Points Out Errors
Target has pulled a civil rights children's learning tool from its shelves after a U.S. history teacher on TikTok pointed out errors. Credit - ROBYN BECK—Getty Images
Target has stopped selling a children’s educational product celebrating Civil Rights history after a TikTok video, which has so far been viewed over 960,000 times, pointed out that some historical leaders were mislabeled.
In the TikTok posted earlier this week, U.S. history high school teacher Tierra Espy, who shares content under the handle @issatete, said she purchased the magnetic learning activity to give to her kids for Black History Month in the U.S. in February, but immediately noticed discrepancies.
She pointed out the names of three Civil Rights icons—Carter G. Woodson, W.E.B. DuBois and Booker T. Washington—did not match cartoon depictions of their photos that she found online.
“I don’t know who’s in charge of Target, but these need to be pulled off the shelves, like, immediately,” she said. “I get it, mistakes happen, but this needs to be corrected ASAP.”
In an email on Saturday, Target told TIME: “We will no longer be selling this product in stores or online. We’ve also ensured the product's publisher is aware of the errors.”
The front cover of the magnetic learning activity in the video bears the logo of Bendon, a children’s publishing company.
In a follow-up TikTok video, posted after reports Target had pulled the product, Espy said that as a U.S. history teacher, she had to call out the errors. "I wasn't going to let it slide for my 200 students or my two babies, who I'm responsible for teaching."
TIME reached out to Target, the publisher, and Espy for comment.
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