A “cultural proficiency lesson” this week by an Apple Valley middle school teacher included a racial slur, prompting an investigation by Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan public schools.
In a 52-second recording taken by a student with a phone Wednesday, a teacher at Falcon Ridge Middle School can be the heard saying the n-word and then saying how it can have different meanings whether it ends with an “a” or an “r.”
“If you put the ‘a’ at the end of the word it means a person was non-immigrant — it means gaining or growing, achieving,” the teacher said. “OK, so it has a different connotation to it. Now, if you use the ‘r’ at the end — so I’m going to say it again — so I apologize if you find this offensive, but if they use the word n—– with an r … rrr, that is a racial slur. That is a racial slur. OK, that is referred to people during the slave times. So when people were enslaved — if you were African descent — that’s the word they would use to describe you. It also was a derogatory term.”
School district spokesman Tony Taschner said Friday he could not name the teacher because the incident is under investigation. He did not say what the teacher’s employment status is with the district.
“I am limited in what I can say, other than the statement,” Taschner said.
The statement read: “Our initial understanding is that concerns arose out of the handling of a cultural proficiency lesson with students on the importance of words and the use of language. The district is investigating the situation to determine the context of why and how this information was shared with students.”
RECENT UNEASE REPORTED
Carter Ciolkosz, a Minneapolis resident who shared the recording through Facebook and Twitter, said he learned about the incident from an eighth grade Falcon Ridge student whom he trains through a basketball school.
Ciolkosz said the student told him that more than one teacher held a “lesson” Wednesday in homerooms and that more than one used the n-word. The lesson followed recent fights between students over the word, according to Ciolkosz.
On Thursday, according to Taschner, approximately 500 Falcon Ridge students left school early with a parent or guardian after a rumored shooting threat that was determined not credible.
Principal Noel Mehus said Friday he could not comment because of the investigation.
ST. PAUL INCIDENTS
The district’s investigation follows two high-profile incidents this month in St. Paul over the slur. On May 8, a Highland Park Middle School used the n-word when referring to a student. The teacher was put on administrative leave and resigned the same week.
Soon after, a substitute teacher at the adjoining high school used the same slur while speaking with students about the first incident.