Parents enraged after teacher called their son the "n-word"
MIAMI - A 13-year-old was allegedly called the "n-word" by his teacher and now his parents are demanding action from the school district.
Anita and Johnny Richardson, who are Black, said their son was called the racial slur by a Black teacher. They say it was inappropriate and want the teacher fired.
It happened at Coconut Palm K-8 Academy in Homestead. The Richardsons said when their 7th grader asked a question in class he was allegedly answered with the slur.
"Her response was yes "n-word," said Anita Richardson.
She said her son was shocked.
"He's bothered by it. He was embarrassed, you know she said it in front of the whole class," said Richardson. "My child said he told her, 'Miss, that's a curse word'. She said, 'Oh well where I'm from', she's from Jamaica, 'kids or people with locs (dreadlocks) like his, they call them the n-word'."
Richardson said she reached out to the school's principal. She said she wanted her son removed from the teacher's class and for the teacher to be reprimanded. But in a conference with the principal, Richardson said she was told it couldn't happen.
"It's very inappropriate. You should be encouraging them not to say the 'n-word'," said Johnny Richardson.
In a statement, the school district said, "They are aware and the behavior won't be tolerated." It went on to say,
"Upon learning about the incident, the employee in question was temporarily reassigned pending the results of an investigation."
The Richardsons say they want accountability and an apology from the teacher to their son.
