In an argument with a student, high school teacher allegedly used racial slur several times prompting other teachers to close the classrooms’ doors
BELLEVUE, Nebraska – Parents and students are criticizing Bellevue West High School administrators after a teacher is accused of using a racist slur during an argument with a student.
Jason Cribbs said 6 News that his daughter, a junior at the school, called him Monday afternoon to report hearing her science teacher use the slur multiple times in class and the hallway.
“A teacher and a student were engaged in a back-and-forth — I don’t know what exactly was said, but I guess the student said the ’n-word,’ and the teacher repeated that ‘n-word’ and continued to repeat it throughout the class,” Cribbs said.
The altercation continued into the hallway, where, according to Cribbs’ daughter, other instructors began to close their doors as the insult was repeated in front of other employees.
“I heard that the dean intervened and the teacher was still saying the ‘n-word’ as the dean was present,” Cribbs said.
Cribbs stated that his daughter’s emotions were “all over the place” after the incident.
When questioned over the incident, Bellevue Public Schools issued the following brief statement:
Cribbs stated that he had a conversation with the school principal on Tuesday and received an apology. According to him, the principal informed him that the teacher’s actions was “uncharacteristic” and that the school had addressed the situation as it thought fit.
Cribbs claims he was informed that the instructor would be retained and that his daughter would be permitted to swap classrooms.
“I feel like leaving that teacher in that environment — you’re not changing anything,” he said. “This teacher’s still going to be walking the hallways, and the students are still going to be on edge.”
Cribbs stated that hearing about the incident was distressing to him as a Black guy.
“I just had to help my child and let her know, like, that’s the way things are these days. And it’s not healthy, it’s not OK,” he said.
Cribbs stated he is considering transferring his daughter despite her academic and athletic success at Bellevue West.
“I would hate to go that way, but I’m gonna do what I have to do to protect my children, and that’s part of me being a father; I’m going to protect my children and make sure they’re in a safe environment,” he said.
