An English teacher at Sequoia Middle School in Fontana, California, faces backlash from parents after a Black student filmed her repeatedly saying the N-word during a presentation.
The teacher, who has not been identified, was discussing Mark Twain’s “Adventures of Tom Sawyer” with her class, and one of the 219 utterances of the racial slur came up in their discussion, according to the students.
A student who refused to repeat after the teacher reportedly asked the teacher the correct spelling of the word.
“You asked me how to spell it, so go ahead and pronounce it after me,” the teacher is heard saying in the video.
A Black student, who wants their identity to remain anonymous, filmed the encounter in class and said that the teacher kept repeating the word. The student also said that the teacher was trying to “force” one student to repeat the word as well.
“The teacher got in front of the class, and she was saying that the word is just an English word and everybody can say it if she wants to, it’s in the dictionary, and people are oversensitive over the word,” said the student who shot the video on her phone to ABC 7 News.
“She was trying to force him to say the word, and she repeatedly kept saying it, and she had a smirk on her face,” recalled the student, who’s African-American. “I was just thinking, ‘Dang, this teacher is out of her mind.'”
The students claimed that the teacher repeated the word approximately 15 times.
A parent reshared the video on her Facebook page.
“This took place at my Daughters school in Fontana at Sequoia Middle School teacher,” Bianca Gibbons wrote on her Facebook page. “Repost, please stop racism and verbal violence, bullying. This teacher should be fired. Please help share this.”
“Not acceptable,” said Caroline Rivera to ABC 7 News, a mother who has two students enrolled at the school. “Pulling the teacher out? Maybe going through training again?”
The Fontana School District did not comment on whether the teacher was disciplined or not but did release the following statement:
“While the use of the word was in connection to its use in a historical literary work, there was a lack of understanding regarding the emotional impact of using this word could have on our students. As a District, we take such incidents very seriously and we are committed to ensuring that our learning environment is inclusive and welcoming for all students. We understand that such incidents can be hurtful and upsetting, especially for students who come from diverse backgrounds. We want to assure you that we do not tolerate any form of discrimination or prejudice in our school, and we are taking steps to address this issue and prevent similar incidents from happening in the future. Going forward, we will continue to provide training and support to our administrators, teachers, and staff to ensure that they understand the importance of creating an inclusive and respectful learning environment.”
The teacher involved told ABC 7 News that she did not want to comment on the video. She has since been allowed back in the classroom, according to KTLA News.
I think she needs to be retrain and if she doesn’t it again fire fire
I’m not a teacher, however, I do not think this is a proper way to teach. That sounds more like a Drill Sargent than a lesson being taught. I’d say she’s intimidating to the whole class of students.
I’m so tired of crackers,pws woods we need to either go to another country and remove ourselves from these evil people
How is she still teaching. This shit is ridiculous. Fire her racist ass.😡😡😡
She was very aggressive and bold by sayng the N word, and it shouldnt be tolerated whatsoever. I think she needs to be retrained and suspended for 3 months without pay. Using racial slurs have no place in the classroom, and it se
The DISRESPECT is obvious. The DISRESPECT of the students, the group mentioned in the DISRESPECTFUL order given and to the entire class.
She knew exactly what she was doing! She needs to be fired.
So why hasn’t this book “Tom Sawyer” been banned
for excessive use of the “N” word.
Selective banning? What is the standard and who
who created it? Just asking!
Why do we always say we need to go to another country when black people was here first im not leaving know where they’re the immigrant we meaning blacks are more indigenous to this land so they need to go back to Europe where they came from
How about that kid asking the ‘teacher’ if its appropriate to use the word C*NT from a variety of books that authors have used to “define women”… its just a word that has a VALID HISTORY in in American Culture and used in various literary works … Jus CUEIOUS as to her response to ‘turnabout being fair play’
Yes people are free to use “any” word they choose. Doesn’t mean all of them are appropriate, everywhere or toward anybody. To do so causes incident: provocation. Read/teach Mark Twain books. Emphasize inflammatory words to humiliate and bully students?? The alt-right doesn’t want that (imo bcuz the affects) … but they want everybody else’s children to be/continued to be targeted in class?? If we ✋🏿✋🏿✋🏽don’t vote in droves at every election and participate at these council mtgs … we’re going to deal with a lot worse than teachers who should never be.
My word, many of you commentors should have paid more attention in English class. Many communities offer free or reduced rate adult education courses, maybe you ahould seriously consider signing up, as well as Pedro and Yuan and all the other line jumpers who aren’t true Spanish descendents and were conquered by colonizers. Spanish speaking folks, ask yourself this: were you born/do you come from Madrid?? Barcelona???? Another city in SPAIN??????
No?????
Well then you aren’t Hispanic at all, you were CONQUERED and your people then learned the language of your opressors. You want to jump the line and enter into America bogus? Do us a solid, and learn the language here, of GTFO. Thank you kindly for your understanding.
Sincerely,
Whitey
P. S. – Line jumpers and crybaby whiners: you are hopelessly outnumbered.
During the book Banning process Mark Twain should have been removed too Standing in a young black child face using the word n***** is using her Authority to bully this kid into saying something that he obviously does not want to say and to say it repeatedly comes down to her literally calling that child a n***** she not only should be thoroughly reprimanded but she should also receive a 6 month suspension without pay because that child asks her to spell the word did not give her the right to intimidate this child Suspend her it’s too bad his mother cannot bring charges against her for bullying Suspend her
hofar,so unfortunately wrong. I don’t remember seeing
any immigrants fighting for the same civil rights that
Black people died for but others who didn’t sacrifice
Enjoy the same rights. Maybe take one of those reduced rate courses Spaniard lol.
Disgusting. What a travesty. That woman is unfit to be a teacher. The fact that she was allowed back in the classroom is prima facie evidence of systemic racism in the school district.