POST FALLS, Idaho - A credit union here found itself in hot water and issued an apology after a photo showed members of its staff in blackface.
As part of a Halloween celebration, four female employees of P1FCU dressed as the Jamaican bobsled team at the 1988 Olympic games, according to KXLY.com. KXLY.com said it confirmed the photo was taken inside the credit union, and further reported that the employees involved have been reprimanded. The photo was not posted on the P1FCU website.
In a statement, P1FCU CEO Chris Loseth said, "An incident of cultural insensitivity occurred yesterday during Halloween that resulted in the posting of a picture to a personal Facebook page. The picture was meant to be a representation of the first Jamaican national bobsled team who gained fame in the 1988 Winter Olympic Games and whose heroics were made famous in the 1993 movie “Cool Runnings.” The four female employees are shocked and saddened by the results of their depiction of this famous group of Jamaican athletes and meant no harm or disrespect to anyone.
“P1FCU did not post this picture on our Facebook page and offers our apologies to those who were offended by the actions of these employees,” the statement continued. “The employees involved have been reprimanded. The need for cultural sensitivity among all Americans is well recognized and we will be reinforcing cultural diversity training with our entire staff.”