A teacher caught using a racial slur in a video recently posted to Facebook has been suspended.
The video, which The Citizen has seen, shows a D.P. Todd Secondary School teacher using the n-word in front of students. The student who filmed the incident alleges the teacher used the slur multiple times before he began recording.
The video shows the teacher and student discussing the incident with faculty members, during which the teacher uses the slur again to explain his actions.
The post has attracted attention from local residents, many of whom are calling for the teacher’s dismissal, with some claiming that similar incidents have occurred in the past.
“It really is unfortunate that it happened,” said Jameel Aziz, School District 57's superintendent of schools. “Our district takes any incidents of misconduct very seriously.”
SD57’s human resources department has placed the teacher on suspension while an investigation is underway. His name was not released.
Aziz told The Citizen that the investigation into the teacher’s conduct will be completed by the end of the week, and an appropriate response will be based on the findings.
Aziz also addressed the potential impact of the incident on students and the school board’s response.
“Our students are more savvy than sometimes we give them credit for,” said Aziz. “Especially at the high school level. We live in a society that has racism in it, and so sometimes our schools, as microcosms of society, will experience these kinds of incidents. Typically, they're student-to-student, not staff-engaged. We work hard to teach our students about what safe and welcoming places should look like, about diversity, equity, inclusion, and racial acceptance. While this is an upsetting incident, we see it as a teachable moment.”
Despite the incident, Aziz emphasized that the district remains committed to making schools in Prince George a welcoming space for everyone.
“We strive to ensure that our schools are safe, welcoming, and inclusive for all students,” Aziz said. “We don’t ignore these things when they occur. It’s important to continue our dialogue, and we will respond appropriately and move forward.”
