A white Pennsylvania teacher is shown on video telling a Black dad to “go back to your welfare” and Section 8 housing after a fender bender Thursday.
The teacher, identified online as Renee Greeley, is now on leave from Drexel Hill Middle School, according to the district.
The school in the Upper Darby School District is located about 10 miles west of Philadelphia.
District officials confirmed details of the encounter in a statement released Thursday on Instagram.
“We took this report very seriously,” the district said in the statement. “As a result of the investigation, the teacher has been placed on administrative leave pending further investigation.
“We intend to vigorously address this issue.”
The parent, Rasheed Noel, started recording the educator in the school parking lot and later posted 1-minute-38-second video of the exchange on Facebook.
“You’re probably on welfare, too,” the teacher is shown saying at the beginning of the footage.
“Not even a little bit, six figures a year, ma’am,” Noel responded. “Because I’m young and I’m black is the reason why you would say that.”
“That’s right, because you’re black,” the teacher said.
“Always looking to milk the system,” she added. “And you see me, a white woman, so you think I got money.”
“Not even a little bit,” Noel said. “Don’t even look like you got it.”
“Go back to your welfare. Your section 8 house,” the teacher said.
The two went back and forward before the teacher called the parent a “n—–“.
“I’m sorry?” the parent asked. “This situation could change real quick.”
“Oh yeah,” the teacher replied and started walking toward the man. “What are you gonna do about it?”
The dad repeatedly told the teacher to “stay over there,” to which the teacher responded with, “bring it on” and walked back toward her SUV.
The video ended at that point.
“I commend the Upper Darby school district for taking quick action on this teacher at Drexel Hill Middle School,” Noel said on Facebook Thursday. “They are doing everything in their power to make sure people like this teacher become non existent in any school…She hits my car and acts like this on school property in front of students and staff.”
Noel goes on to say that after meeting with the superintendent and his staff, “I’m hear to say they absolutely care about their community. #ZeroTolerance.”
District officials said in its statement it doesn’t “condone or tolerate inappropriate conduct or speech associated with hate, racism, discrimination or intolerance of any kind.”
“The deeply troubling comments and actions of this teacher are not indicative of the hundreds of outstanding teachers working in our schools each and every day,” district officials said.
The district has more than 12,500 students in a community of residents from more than 60 countries, the district said.
“We are a community of many cultures and backgrounds, and we value our diversity,” the district said. “It strengthens us.”
It also highlighted the district’s Deep Equity Initiative “to challenge assumptions” about its school community and better develop ways for staff members to reflect on the recent incident.
“The comments and actions made by this teacher do not align with our core beliefs of Opportunity, Unity, and Excellence,” the district said.
Ursula Willis told NBC10 the teacher once taught her daughter and her son.
“She said the teacher was always angry,” Willis said. “But my son had a different opinion. He said as long as you didn’t get on her bad side, she was fine.”
Willis told NBC10 the teacher’s behavior was offensive and frightening.
“I’m concerned about the children that are in her care currently,” Willis said. “I understand the superintendent sent out a message saying she’s on administrative leave, so good. Honestly, she doesn’t need to be with children.”
