Group of students initiated a protest inside Bellevue West Monday morning over a teacher’s use of a racial slur last week, police called to assist
BELLEVUE, Nebraska – According to parents who spoke to us, police were summoned to Bellevue West High School on Monday morning after a group of kids began a protest inside the school over the use of a racist slur by a teacher the previous week. The students were upset about the incident.
A teacher at Bellevue West was accused of using a racist slur while in an altercation with a student the previous week. Some parents believe that the school has not adequately responded to the allegations made against the instructor, therefore they have decided to stage a demonstration against the institution.
Parents said that as many as forty children participated in the sit-in demonstration; 6 News observed police cars stationed outside the school early on Monday morning.
The Bellevue Public Schools have sent a message to the community informing them that they summoned the police after the demonstration reportedly became rowdy.
“While the student situation at Bellevue West today began peacefully, it did turn disruptive and we placed the school in Hold briefly while staff and Law Enforcement mitigated the situation. We support our students in their rights to respectfully have a voice and we take all student concerns very seriously. We value providing an open and inclusive environment; and know we can always learn from situations such as this.”
One parent said last week that he had received a call after school that day from his daughter, a junior at the school, saying she had witnessed her science teacher repeat the slur several times in class and in the hallway. He said he had spoken with the school principal and received an apology and was told the school had handled the matter how they saw fit.
When asked about the incident last week, Bellevue Public Schools provided this short statement:
“While this is a personnel matter and the district can not discuss personnel matters — Bellevue Public Schools does not condone the use of racial slurs in any manner or environment from students or staff.”
