After days of backlash, Meghan Trainor has apologized for saying “fuck teachers” on her podcast last week, saying she was “careless with [her] words.”
The “All About That Bass” singer took to TikTok on Sunday and said, “Teachers of TikTok and teachers of the world, I recently said ‘F teachers’ on the podcast. And it’s not how I feel. I was fired up because we were talking about how sending your kid to school here in America is so horrific, and what all of us have to go through, but especially teachers, is not normal and not OK.”
The backlash against Trainor stemmed from the April 19 episode of her podcast Workin’ On It, when she spoke about her decision to homeschool her children amid an uptick in gun violence in schools. (The pop star and her husband, Daryl Sabara, welcomed a son in 2021 and are currently expecting baby No. 2.)
“We’re homeschooling our kids,” the Grammy winner said on the podcast. “Fuck that. Everyone on TikTok is like, ‘This is what it’s like to have a kid in America. I have a bulletproof backpack.’ I was like, ‘Fuck all of that.’
YouTuber Trisha Paytas, who was Trainor’s guest on the episode, added that she experienced trauma from other students and teachers when she was younger, to which Trainor responded, “Fuck teachers, dude.”
In her apology video, Trainor explained that she was referring to specific teachers she and Paytas had bad experiences with. “I had Trisha Paytas on the podcast, and I knew her history with her teachers,” she said. “And I knew my husband’s history with his teachers. And I was bullied by some teachers.”
“So in that moment, I got angry and said, ‘F teachers.’ F those specific human beings back in the day, but I did not mean that to all teachers” she continued.
After the controversial episode aired, the 29-year-old began receiving backlash on social media. A TikTok featuring her isolated remarks went viral, with several teachers and other users criticizing Trainor in the comments section. “Please try teaching public school for a day,” one user replied. “There’s a war on education and it’s scary,” another wrote.
In her TikTok from Sunday, Trainor added that she “loves” and “fights for” teachers, acknowledging that “they have the hardest job and they are the most underpaid.”
“I don’t want to make excuses,” she added. “I’m just so sorry to any teachers who I made feel bad. And I will remind myself that my words definitely could have a consequence, and I will be more careful. Love you all so much. I’m so sorry again. Thank you all for helping me.”
Not everyone is ready to accept Trainor’s apology, though, as several TikTokers, including educators, have since posted videos further criticizing her comments. Regardless of whether the teachers in her fanbase will ever forgive her, the singer and mother has certainly learned a valuable lesson.
