A former substitute teacher is banned from campus and all school events for three years after resigning in the wake of a video showing him using the n-word repeatedly in a heated conversation with a Black student.
Ryan Brown was recorded May 4 at Benjamin Franklin High School in Louisiana arguing with a student that the use of the n-word cannot be racist because it is a “commoditized word.” According to Brown, the word should not evoke such emotion as displayed by the student because “everyone uses it” and it has lost its negative connotation. Brown uses the word repeatedly in the footage, despite the student’s obvious growing agitation.
The school subsequently conducted an investigation that included the video and interviews with the student and Brown, during which time the teacher was placed on leave. According to a press release, the school found that Brown’s behavior was not conducive to fostering a high-quality learning environment with the security of the students in mind.
