A former third-grade teacher who sought to volunteer at Chimborazo Elementary School where he taught has been banned from all Richmond Public Schools property.

There’s just one problem: RPS officials have been unwilling to provide an explanation for the ban to 30-year-old Malcolm Solomon or others.

The ban raises questions about RPS’ commitment to encouraging participation of positive African-American male role models as teachers and volunteers. 

Mr. Solomon earned a stellar reputation for helping his students succeed in the classroom based on results of state Standards of Learning tests, and there is nothing on his record that would lead to such a ban.

Last Friday, two high-ranking RPS officials met with Mr. Solomon. But Chief of Schools Harry Hughes and Chief Engagement Officer Shadae Thomas Harris offered no new information, he said.

Mr. Solomon said both acknowledged that they had not reviewed the complaint that led to the ban or any information about him before the meeting. They also had not checked out posts on his social media accounts that allegedly were the basis for the complaint, he said.

“They were not very prepared,” Mr. Solomon said. “They appeared to just want to listen to me. I want the ban lifted and my reputation restored. Nothing was resolved. All I got was a promise from them to continue to investigate.”

Community organizer Omari Al-Qadaffi, who along with Kinfolk Community leader Arthur Burton accompanied Mr. Solomon to the meeting, confirmed Mr. Solomon’s statements.

RPS policy is not to comment on such matters.

Mr. Solomon said one issue that came up at the meeting was RPS’ commitment to hiring and retaining black male teachers, particularly in elementary grades. He said he explained the hostile atmosphere he encountered at Chimborazo that led him to quit in 2018 and offered to provide insight to RPS’ African-American male recruits about what they could expect.

“Before hiring, what is needed is a thorough evaluation of the types of environments they are sending black male teachers into,” Mr. Solomon said after the meeting. “Too often, administrators view black male teachers as threats because they challenge the thinking about students and the decisions being made and do not demonstrate submissive behavior.”

Chimborazo students still remember Mr. Solomon and wish he were still at the school. Now working as a substitute teacher outside Richmond, Mr. Solomon taught with RPS for five years.

“He was the best third-grade teacher,” said Naiim Byrd, 11, now a fifth-grader. Naiim greeted Mr. Solomon on May 24 as he stood outside the school with several supporters urging the ban be lifted.

According to Mr. Solomon, he returned to the school last fall as a volunteer “lunch buddy” to keep up with the students he had taught. He said the ban was imposed in February.

While he has not received any official document spelling out the situation, he said he was told the ban resulted from videos he posted on his Instagram account, Mr. Solomon88, that supposedly contained disparaging information about the school system.

A Free Press review of the posted videos turned up nothing negative. The videos show him pumping the importance of learning to young listeners and urging children to do their best in school.

“What you see on my page, the encouragement and positivity, is all I have to offer, “ said Mr. Solomon, who earned his undergraduate degree at Virginia State University and earned certification to be a school principal in graduate studies at Virginia Commonwealth University.

Prior to the last week’s meeting, Mr. Solomon had gone to the central office several times to get an explanation, but he said no one would tell him anything or meet with him.  After a Free Press query, Michelle Hudacsko, chief of staff to Superintendent Jason Kamras, set up the meeting between Mr. Solomon, Mr. Hughes and Ms. Harris.