"Troublemaker": Man Blasts Roosevelt High School Principal's Post Before Matric Dance Shutdown

• The principal of Roosevelt High School posted a WhatsApp status with the hashtag '#HitlerLoading' before shutting down the school's matric dance
• The post was shared by a parent and picked up by Facebook user Curt van Heerden, who pointed out that over 90% of the school's pupils are non-white
• The status referenced drunk pupils and vomit in the bathrooms, but the hashtag drew sharp criticism and divided opinion online

The principal of Roosevelt High School found herself at the centre of a public storm after a WhatsApp status she posted before ending the school's matric dance was shared widely on social media. Facebook user Curt van Heerden shared the screenshot on 10 October, after parents sent it to him. The status, posted by someone saved as "Cristel RHS," described a chaotic evening in which pupils reportedly arrived intoxicated and left the bathrooms in a state. It ended with the hashtag "#Hitlerloading".

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Van Heerden raised the alarm, noting that more than 90% of the pupils at Roosevelt High School are non-white. He questioned why a white principal would use the hashtag in that context, describing it as deeply troubling. According to the screenshot, the principal wrote that pupils had arrived drunk and vomited in the bathrooms, adding "stick a fork in me, I am done." The message appeared to be venting frustration before she moved to shut the event down.

For many who saw the post by Curt van Heerden, the content of the evening was secondary to the choice of words. Critics argued that using Hitler's name as a punchline, even informally, carried a very different weight in a school where the majority of the children are Black and Coloured. Curt shared another post pushing for Roosevelt High School to demand refunds for their matric dance ticket purchases. Watch the video and see the WhatsApp screenshot that sparked the debate below:

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The post drew hundreds of comments, with opinions sharply split between those who defended the principal's decision to end the dance and those who condemned her word choice.

@Susan Muller wrote:

"Stand with the principal. When a fire starts, you don't only evacuate the person who started the fire. The party was out of control. Who knows what could have happened if allowed to continue. It's a life lesson learned for all the students."

@Barnard Louise said:

"I stand with the principal."

@Stiaan Maasz pushed back against the criticism, writing:

"It's the white teacher's fault that the children almost demolished the place... She has forced the liquor and substances down their throats!!! You Mr, are an irrelevant paloeka [troublemaker] sowing quarrel and division."

Other Briefly News stories about matric dances

• Principal Sam Lupuwana of Milner High School in Klerksdorp took a firm stand by officially cancelling the 2026 matric farewell after 72 out of 186 Grade 12 learners failed their second-term exams.
• A public debate erupted across Mzansi over whether attending a matric farewell should be treated as an automatic right or an earned privilege conditional on passing grades and good discipline.
• Podcaster Penuel Mlotshwa paid a personal visit to Roosevelt High School in Johannesburg following a disastrous matric dance at the Avianto Hotel that was shut down early due to learner intoxication, property damage, and reported safety threats.

Source: Briefly News