West Hartford School Board Member Suggests Financial Incentives for Black and Brown Teachers — ‘It’s an Extra Burden’

A West Hartford, Connecticut, school board member has drawn attention online after suggesting the district consider ‘financial incentives for Black and brown people to work here.

The woman behind the comments is named LaToya Yagaloff, and people are having trouble siding with her. Yagaloff specifically raised the possibility of financial incentives for Black and brown teachers and administrators rather than discussing compensation for district employees generally.

School Board Member Calls Being a ‘Black and Brown Teacher’ an ‘Extra Burden’

A clip of the board meeting is making the rounds online, drawing tons of attention to the suggestions Yagaloff made during the meeting, which centered around “new business,” according to the clip reshared by X user @libsoftiktok. “I know we have efforts to increase diversity in the district, so I’m wondering, especially around administration, are there financial incentives for Black and brown people to work here?”

The clip appears to include only portions of Yagaloff’s comments. The clip then cuts to another comment she made: “It’s an extra burden, quite frankly, to be a Black and brown teacher and administrator in the district, and so I think we should start thinking about that financially if we’re not already.”

She continued to suggest that money wasn’t the issue because, according to her, “We got money, it’s West Hartford.” Some commenters supported higher pay for teachers and administrators but criticized Yagaloff’s suggestion that financial incentives be considered specifically for Black and brown employees.

One commenter suggested it isn’t only hard for the people she mentioned, but that “It’s hard to be human,” especially right now at a time when the economy isn’t its strongest. Another commenter questioned Yagaloff’s proposal, writing, “Pay based on skin color instead of competence. This is how you destroy public education and reward grievance over results.”

Another wrote, “It’s hard for HER TO BE BLACK. I’m doing just fine,” and another commenter was more direct, writing, “She shouldn’t be teaching children if that’s her attitude.”

The Daily Dot was unable to independently verify the full context of Yagaloff’s comments, as the video circulating online appears to contain only a portion of the school board meeting.