A White Georgia art teacher was suspended after a video showed her asking predominantly Black students in her classroom when it was acceptable for her to use the n-word.
Alexandrea Boyington—the White woman seen in the controversial video—is an educator at Alcovy High School in Newton County who was named teacher of the year two years ago.
Alcovy High School art teacher Alexandrea Boyington is seen sitting at a desk discussing when it\u2019s okay to use the n-word.\n\nAnd she was named teacher of the year 2 years ago https://thegrio.com/2021/09/08/teacher-suspended-for-using-n-word/\u00a0\u2026— theGrio.com (@theGrio.com) 1631145601
According to Atlanta Black Star, the clip was posted by the blog site, ATL Uncensored.
It remains unclear when the video was exactly taken, but it showed Boyington casually sitting on a desk in the classroom and asking students a hypothetical question that had nothing to do with art.
"Say I date a Black guy? Then I can say [n-word]?" she asked, immediately prompting students to shout out, "No."
Boyington quipped "'Cause I got a [n-word]," before shock and nervous laughter filled the room.
Many students spoke anonymously expressing they were shocked and angry.
"It was crazy to me. I was like, dang, she really said that and she said it like with no regret or anything," one student told CBS 46.
Another student said:
"The video was surprising being that she was so comfortable and had the audacity to say the word not only once but twice. It baffled me."
You can watch the Fox 5 news report of the incident, below.
Social media users knew better than to use the racial slur altogether and immediately called for Boyington's dismissal.
If you think as a white person that you get a pass using the N-word, you don't. Its disrespectful. Most Black folks try not to use it so just prepare for that 2 piece.— Firestarter ONYX (@Firestarter ONYX) 1631146384
Yeah, no, you can't. End of. Full stop. That word has been used (and is still being used) by whites to oppress and dehumanize Black people.https://atlantablackstar.com/2021/09/13/no-excuses-she-has-to-go-georgia-art-teacher-suspended-after-shes-captured-on-video-asking-students-when-can-she-say-the-n-word/\u00a0\u2026— Reese Minshew (@Reese Minshew) 1631567836
WTF? ... it's NEVER ok to use the N-word. I don't care if the speaker is White or Black.— LukeR (@LukeR) 1631236312
Aawwee, when being that white woke chick backfires on you.https://atlantablackstar.com/2021/09/13/no-excuses-she-has-to-go-georgia-art-teacher-suspended-after-shes-captured-on-video-asking-students-when-can-she-say-the-n-word/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=news_tab&utm_content=algorithm\u00a0\u2026— T (@T) 1631592741
I wouldn't even let my black students use that word.— Carolyn Sewell (@Carolyn Sewell) 1631310355
Whew. She wanted to be able to say it SO bad, didn't she? She said it with her whole chest which says clearly this wasn't her first time. Sad she chose to test her antics with students she assumed were no threat to her. Covert racism in the classroom remains an abuse to be addy'd— Spirit, PhD, LPC, NCC (@Spirit, PhD, LPC, NCC) 1631308882
The way she used the \u201cN-word\u201d was shocking and disgusting to me! As a retired (Black) educator, I\u2019ll say we could not be \u201cfriends\u201d on the job if I knew she talked like that in conversation with students of color, in class. Bury the word, period! It\u2019s derogatory & hurtful to many.— RR Farrer (@RR Farrer) 1631364561
If you gotta ask if you can say it, you probably can't say it.\n\nThat rule has served me well.\n\nAlso, as a white woman happily in love with a black man, I cannot fathom even *thinking* of him as "a N word". I love him, not hate him!— DeificClusterfuck (@DeificClusterfuck) 1631303234
School officials told Fox 5 Atlanta they were made aware of the clip that had been viewed over 100,000 times as of last Friday.
A spokesperson for Newton County Schools issued the media outlet a statement, which read:
"Over the weekend, Newton County School System administrators received notification of a video circulating online that allegedly involved an Alcovy High School teacher making inappropriate statements in class."
"The teacher, Ms. Alexandrea Boyington, is currently on administrative leave pending the outcome of our investigation."
Malik Montgomery, a senior at Alcovy was angry when he saw the video circulating online.
He told reporters Boyington's suspension was not sufficient.
"It wasn't no reason for you to say that. I'm kinda pretty upset about it, and I hope some justice gets done."
"I think the Board of Education should do more, you know. Look more into it—investigate into and not just be suspended. You know, she should just lose her job."
Other enraged students agreed with Montgomery and said they did not want to see Boyington back in classrooms.
Boyington has yet to make a public statement about her comments in the video.
