The Lafayette Parish School System is investigating a social media comment in which it appears that an Ossun Elementary teacher uses the n-word.
The comment, which was made on a post about a school supply giveaway on Cameron Street, says that the neighborhood is "'n-word'ville" after dark.
The woman who appears to have made this comment is listed on school websites as an in-school suspension facilitator and tutor at Ossun Elementary, which according to online records is majority African-American.
Here's the statement from LPSS:
"LPSS is aware of this situation and is conducting a thorough investigation into the matter. Because this is a personnel issue, no further information will be shared."
Actually, many personnel actions - such as suspensions or terminations - must be approved by the School Board and will appear on the board's agendas, which are public record.
Louisiana teaching certificates also are public record. A search of the Louisiana education department's website turned up no certificates for the woman's name.
Here is a statement on the issue from Marja Broussard, Vice President of District D for the NAACP Louisiana State Conference.
"We are appalled and hurt, but sadly not surprised to learn someone entrusted to guide and nurture our children, so easily shared such hatred for Black and Brown people, in a public forum. The racist anti-Black mentality has been alive in our community for decades, and we will stand up against it every time until it is eradicated.
"We will not tolerate this bigotry that continues to traumatize our youth and further the narrative that our Black children are second-class citizens. The NAACP Louisiana State Conference, along with our district leaders and members, are calling on the Lafayette Parish School Board and Superintendent Irma Trosclair to institute racial and cultural diversity trainings for all staff immediately.
"We demand something finally be done to ensure schools are more racially diverse in students, staff and leadership. It is of grave concern that (the teacher) is the disciplinarian charged with monitoring and educating Black and Brown students who are assigned to In-School Suspension, at Ossun Elementary School (an elementary school with majority Black students, but minority Black staff).
"We are calling on Superintendent Trosclair to immediately remove (the teacher) from any ability to further traumatize students, especially Black and Brown, Indigenous, and immigrants or from any ability to continue to teach this mentality to innocent students trusted in her care. Especially since history has proven the school-to-prison pipeline is perpetuated by this racist ideology (the teacher) so comfortably displayed to all of the world - that Blacks will always be the “N-word,” and only worthy of enslavement, prisons, and torn-down businesses on the North Side of town, and where it's too dark for any human dignity after 6:30 p.m."
