SEATTLE – A Seattle Public Schools teacher was suspended and is now under investigation after he dressed up as Michael Jordan for Halloween and some students alleged his costume was racist.

Ingraham High School officials put teacher Peter Colino on paid administrative leave after some students complained about the Michael Jordan Halloween costume he wore to class last week, which included a black rubber face mask and black gloves, KIRO reports.

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“I’ve been dressing up as Michael Jordan for Halloween throughout my 18 year career with Seattle Public Schools,” Colino told the news site via text message. “The mask was off when I heard the concern and it stayed off the rest of the day … I understand how my mask and gloves were hurtful. I am sorry that I was not more aware.”

The apology follows a letter sent home to parents following incident.

“The teacher has been placed on administrative leave while further investigation is conducted,” the message read. “His behavior is in opposition to Ingraham’s values of racial diversity and inclusivity and have impacted our students negatively.”

Several students, however, told the news site they do not believe their teacher intended to offend anyone, and was simply enjoying the holiday.

“He’s always talking to us about how racism is not good for our generation, not good for anyone,” an unidentified student said. “He’s always talking about how much he cares about other people’s opinions and thoughts.”

“He was just trying to be in the Halloween spirit,” another unidentified student said. “He’s the sweetest guy and he personally apologized to all his classes. He took it seriously; he didn’t take it as a joke.”

Colino told KVEW he had never received a complaint about his Michael Jordan costume until this year.

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Regardless, some students took pictures of the costume and circulated them through Snapchat. Some parents also forwarded the image to the media.

An anonymous mother, whose black son sent her a copy, told The Stranger she was “floored” by the picture.

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“He’s never texted me while he was at school, (but) he sent me the picture and I was just floored,” she said. “I couldn’t even believe the lack of judgement.”

The woman said her son “was just disgusted” by the Halloween costume.

“I was very grateful that he’s not in that man’s class anymore,” she said.

Colino told The Stranger he just wanted to pay tribute to the greatest basketball player who ever lived.

“I tell my kids (every October) that Michael Jordan is coming to visit,” he said. “My intent was to honor Michael Jordan.”

Colino said the principal, Marin Floe, alerted him that some students were offended by his costume and he immediately took action.

“The minute someone said it’s hurtful, the mask didn’t go back on,” he said. “I’m glad it was brought up to me. I talked to the kids at the beginning of all my classes (the next day). They said ‘this is not for you.’”

He said he now regrets the costume.

“I know what I did was not appropriate and looking back, I’m embarrassed about it,” Colino told The Stranger. “I don’t want to hurt those that I care deeply about, and my actions did that.”

The teacher said he also met with members of the school’s Black Student Union to talk about the incident.

“It’s what education should be. We talked about the difference between appreciation and appropriation,” he said. “We all make mistakes and we should all learn and grow from it.”

The incident occurred about two weeks after roughly 2,000 Seattle Public Schools teachers donned Black Lives Matter t-shirts to school to support the cause.