A student in Springfield, Missouri, is speaking out after she was suspended for recording her geometry teacher, who is white, using a racial slur.
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The Teen Was Suspended While The Teacher Resigned
Newsweek reports the situation unfolded at Glendale High School on May 9 after the instructor “interjected himself” into a conversation students were having about the N-word.
A sophomore named Mary Walton, 15, proceeded to capture the incident on her cellphone.
The video shows the teacher using the slur and proclaiming that he “can say the word” after questioning why it isn’t considered “derogatory” when a Black person says it.
“It feels like, when a Black person is using it towards another Black person, it’s the same.”
The instructor added, “I’m not calling anyone n****r. I can say the word.”
As the teacher made these comments, some students began calling him out. Shortly thereafter, he appeared to notice that Mary was recording and instructed her to stop, though she refused.
After the video circulated, Mary was ultimately hit with a three-day suspension for using an electronic device at school.
In the wake of the incident, the teacher — who hasn’t been publicly identified — decided to resign after being placed on leave.
School Administrators Denounce The Matter While Standing By Student’s Suspension
Now, Natalie Hull—an attorney representing the Walton family — is urging the school to apologize to Mary.
She notes that the instructor was essentially let off scot-free while Mary “gets a black mark on her school record.”
“He is very unlikely to have any type of mark on his employment record from this. However, Mary gets a black mark on her school records—despite the pivotal role she played in bringing his misconduct to light.”
The lawyer adds that when it comes to Mary being suspended, school administrators have “an opportunity” to acknowledge they “react[ed] in the wrong way.”
Hull noted, “When there is a way to fix it, you should.”
“There is no embarrassment in admitting when you are wrong and apologizing. In this case, we feel they overreacted in how they handled things with Mary, and they should apologize. Schools want students to do the right thing. Mary did. Now, we are asking the school to do that, too.”
Although Springfield Public Schools spokesperson Stephen Hall referred to the matter as an “unacceptable classroom incident,” Newsweek reports that he says the school “appropriately and promptly handled all matters related to what occurred.”
He added, “We want our schools to be safe and welcoming learning environments. When students have concerns, they should follow the appropriate steps for reporting.”
As for Josh Groves, the school’s principal, he reportedly called the teacher’s remarks “inexcusable.” He also noted they “do not meet the professional standards for Springfield Public Schools employees.”
