Rhode Island Public School Teacher Arrested, Charged With Vandalizing Christopher Columbus Statue
Richard Moorhead
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A Rhode Island social studies teacher has been one of the three suspects arrested in the vandalism of a Christopher Columbus statue in Providence.
Derrick Garforth has been listed as a social studies teacher for Jenks Middle School in Pawtucket. He was arrested early Saturday morning for what appears to have been a feeble vandalism attempt on a statue of the Italian explorer in Providence’s Columbus Square.
Providence Police describe apprehending Garforth after seeing a man and a woman dash towards the Columbus statue and coat it with white and purple paint. They followed the two vandals, later arrested Garforth, Charlotte Wittingham, and Mackenzie Innis, the latter of whom was driving a getaway car for the two. The monument had been boarded up by authorities to prevent the exact kind of cultural vandalism Garforth and his accomplices are alleged to have attempted, and police had been watching the monument as left-wing rioters and looters attacked Christopher Columbus statues across the country.
Garforth has been placed on leave by the Pawtucket School Department pending an investigation. The 34-year old is being charged with desecration of a monument, a felony in Rhode Island.
It’s almost doubtless that Garfoth had used his position as a teacher to indoctrinate young children against the memorization of historic figures such as Columbus, who is one of the most significant people ever to live.
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