'Dance Moms' Maddie Ziegler apologizes for making 'ignorant and racially insensitive' videos
"Dance Moms" alum Maddie Ziegler is apologizing after controversial videos she made nearly a decade ago resurfaced.
The 17-year-old took to Twitter on Tuesday to address the controversy, calling the videos "ignorant and racially insensitive."
"There are a few videos some of you have seen from when I was about 9 years old where I thought it was funny to mock people and accents," Ziegler wrote. "I’m honestly ashamed and I’m truly sorry for my actions. The decisions I made then are absolutely not decisions I would make today."
While Ziegler said she has grown since making those impressions, she acknowledged that her past actions were hurtful and some might not forgive her.
"What I thought was silly humor when I was younger I know was actually ignorant and racially insensitive," she stated. "Growing up in the public eye has its challenges and also comes with the responsibility to set a good example which I failed to do in these videos."
While assuring fans that she "would never act this way now," the "Leap!" actress knows that simply apologizing won't undo the damage she's done.
"I know some of you are hurt and may not accept my apology," Ziegler wrote, before calling upon her followers to not bully those who do not want to forgive her. "There is no need to attack each other or try to defend me."
Still, she hopes the incident will serve as a learning lesson for others. "We can all learn from my mistakes and spread love during these times when we need it most," she wrote.
Some critics on Twitter accused Ziegler of not acknowledging controversial videos reportedly taken when she was older than 9.
