A Florida school district is promising to “take appropriate” action after an elementary school teacher was accused of calling black students “rats” and claiming that they could “infest the class,” adding that “that’s why their race is either dead or in jail.”
Tell us how you really feel, why don’t you?
According to WSBTV, the teacher at Carter G. Woodson Elementary School allegedly made the racially charged remarks in May as a group of children tried to re-enter the classroom. The teacher allegedly told a group of students to “not let the rats back in to infest the class.”
The Duval County Public Schools launched its own investigation shortly after the incident came to light, confirming, “There was enough evidence reviewed by the district that substantiates further action; however, we cannot elaborate on an action that has yet to be defined.”
The school district added that it will “take appropriate action in accordance with the collective bargaining agreement when school resumes for the 2017-2018 school year.”
DCPS declined to confirm the teacher’s name, but WJAX identified the teacher as Jordan Cataldo. WJAX noted that a local school’s district website found that the progressive discipline policy in the collective bargaining agreement listed a range of possible punishments that included verbal reprimand, written reprimand, suspension without pay and termination.