A teacher at a high school in Richmond, Virginia, was suspended after prohibiting a student from speaking Spanish during class. In an audio recording by a student, the teacher tells the student that it is mandatory to speak English in the classroom, to which the girl responds that Spanish is her native language and she considers that she has the right to use it wherever she wants. The teacher responds in a racist manner: “Fine, go back to wherever that Spanish-speaking country is and speak it. But when you are in the United States, you will speak English in the classes that are spoken here.” The recording has gone viral and has generated outrage, especially among the Latino community.
The Thomas C. Boushall Center, where the events occurred, has 44% Hispanic students. In the midst of the controversy, the body in charge of supervising the city’s educational centers announced that the teacher is currently on administrative leave, pending the outcome of an internal investigation. The agency also stated that racism, bigotry, and intolerance of any kind will not be tolerated in Richmond Public Schools.
The mother of the affected student spoke before the school board, explaining that her daughter was crying and locked herself in her room after the incident. Rachel Gomez, president of the Richmond chapter of the League of United Latin American Citizens, stated that this is a “systemic problem” throughout the district and that a task force should be created to monitor the situation. She also called for the implementation of mandatory civics education for staff and students, arguing that the audio shows clear violations of students’ constitutional rights.
Saturday, September 7, 2024