A former vice principal at a middle school in Taylorsville, Utah was transferred to another school after calling a Black eighth-grade female student the n-word during a student protest for women's rights outside the school last May.
The decision sparked outrage from her family.
According to KJZZ 14, the former school administrator at Bennion Jr. High was put on paid leave before an investigation by the Granite School District concluded the vice principal did use the racial slur.
So they transferred them to an undisclosed school within the district.
\u201cVice principal transferred to different school after calling Black student the N-word https://t.co/ocx21ENiTU\u201d— Mynameis...Miro (@Mynameis...Miro) 1660917565
The family of the girl who was called the n-word had called for the vice principal to be fired, but when they heard about the district's decision to transfer the administrator to an unspecified school within the district, they were not satisfied.
You can watch a news report here.
Tyler Ayres, an attorney representing the girl’s family, said the consequence of the vice principal's behavior was "unacceptable."
Said Ayres:
“This decision says, don’t say it twice but one time you basically get a free pass."
\u201c@OccupyDemocrats I'm a teacher in Alabama, and a few years ago a couple of baseball players said the n word in class. They were told to apologize to me. I threatened to call the big newspaper and tv station. They both got a week's suspension. You have to stand up to racism!\u201d— Occupy Democrats (@Occupy Democrats) 1660855580
Rae Duckworth, the Operating Chairperson of Utah's most prominent Black Lives Matter chapter agreed, saying:
“That’s a disappointment, to be able to do something that traumatic to a child and then just be allowed to move to the next school."
Following the incident, Duckworth–whose cousin was killed by Utah Police in 2019–met with the District and learned even though they had taken steps to be more inclusive, they needed to do more.
\u201c@OccupyDemocrats I live in Utah and it doesn't surprise me because as long as I've lived here Utah is a racist state. The Mormons say one thing but there followers, unless POC pay tithing, don't like people with dark skin because they think they carry the curse of cain.\ud83e\udd2c\ud83e\udd2c\u201d— Occupy Democrats (@Occupy Democrats) 1660855580
Duckworth said:
“I can’t say that they ended racism, I can say that they removed a racist from the school."
“That’s a disappointment, to be able to do something that traumatic to a child and then just be allowed to move to the next school."
\u201cSay it with me. Write it on a chalk board 2,000 times\n\nIt is never OK to use the n-word\nIt is never OK to use the n-word\nIt is never OK to use the n-word\nIt is never OK to use the n-word\nIt is never OK to use the n-word\nIt is never OK to use the n-word\n\nhttps://t.co/sYDEbqAWKM\u201d— Science/Medicine 1st - The Ends Justify the Memes (@Science/Medicine 1st - The Ends Justify the Memes) 1660843117
A district spokesperson gave 2News the following statement:
“After an exhaustive investigation, it was determined that the employee did in fact utilize a racial slur when corresponding with several students."
"Appropriate corrective action has taken place. Part of that corrective action was a transfer of the employee."
"Granite District also spent time with the family, and local community groups such as BLM, Utah Chapter and the NAACP, to work with our administration to maintain and ensure a welcoming and safe environment for all students."
"We will continue to work towards that end.”
\u201c@OccupyDemocrats there is no room for racism in any education system\u201d— Occupy Democrats (@Occupy Democrats) 1660855580
\u201c@legaleagle542 @OccupyDemocrats Tenure can\u2019t help you here. I was a teacher for 35 years I saw teachers fired for that! People think tenure saves bad teachers it doesn\u2019t! The union also wants good members and they won\u2019t protect a bad teacher! In my former district anyway. Can\u2019t speak for all.\u201d— Occupy Democrats (@Occupy Democrats) 1660855580
\u201c@OccupyDemocrats In the Virginia school system where I worked for 36 years, that principal would have been immediately fired, likely losing his license.\u201d— Occupy Democrats (@Occupy Democrats) 1660855580
Rawstory noted Taylorsville is not new to racist public outbursts.
In 2015, a White woman berated a Black neighbor with racial slurs while he was working in the yard. The next day, the window of his car appeared to be shot through.
After a series of other disputes and vandalism to his property, he said he was afraid to go outside and that his White neighbors were making it difficult to live in his home.
In September 2021, University of Utah students allegedly called a Black contractor the n-word and threw sunflower seeds and coffee pods out of their residence hall window at them.