Student uses racial slur during class in video from Fort Worth high school

FORT WORTH (CBSDFW.COM) – A disturbing video is making the rounds after it was recorded inside a classroom of a Fort Worth ISD high school classroom. 

The cellphone video shows more than three minutes of a student who appears to read a piece of paper in front of a room full of students at Paschal High School. Over the course of the video, the student uses a racial slur seven times.

“It really hurt me to see that,” student Lorenzo Roach said. 

“It seems like it’s not exactly the type of thing that should be in a public education system, it’s kind of a place for cultural diversity,” 12th grader David Garcia said. 

A person believed to be the teacher tells the class, “The point is not to be offensive, it’s his interpretation.”

After using the slur multiple times, the student is stopped and the person believed to be the teacher says, “We’re not trying to set this in pre-Civil war, we’re trying to stay as true to the original text as possible, go ahead.” The student then continues to read and uses another offensive word.

At one point, the students start to laugh.

“Unbelievable,” Roach said. 

“I mean most of people are just laughing and it’s whatever, they’re kids they’re immature, it’s what happens,” Garcia said. “But I mean as for teachers and stuff like that, I would say it’s pretty unacceptable for staff.”

School officials sent a letter to parents, which read:

“Dear Paschal Families,

We have been made aware of a video recorded in one our classes last week in
which a student used profane, derogatory, and racially insensitive language in a
classroom assignment.
This was inexcusable. The language used in the video is neither acceptable nor
representative of Paschal High School or of any other school in the Fort Worth
ISD.”

The students we spoke to say this is outrageous.

“I am surprised is that a teacher would condone that, especially for so long or they would allow it to happen more than one time,” Garcia said. 

Fort Worth ISD told CBS 11 in a statement, “We are aware of the incident and we are conducting a thorough investigation.  Please know the Fort Worth ISD is committed to preserving an environment where all students feel respected and safe.”