Miroku4444

I couldnt find a link on this so ill sum it up.

A teacher(Elizabeth Kandrac/White Woman) in a Predominately all black Brentwood middle school in North Carolina was verbally assaulted and called White Bit**, White Motherfu****, White Cun*, and so on. Despite frequent complaints, school officals did nothing to intervene on her part. They said the students profanity against her was Part of their culture. School Officials said, "If she couldn't handle cursing, she was in the wrong school".

She then filed a complaint with the EEOC(Equal Employment opportunity Commission), and filed a lawsuit with the schools Principal and superintendent. Jurors found that the school was a racially hostile environment to teach in and awarded her $307,500 in damages for lost income, and emotional distress. The judge didn't agree with the jury's findings so the party's settled for $200,000.

Although Kanrac clearly suffered she was suspended from her job shortly after a story about her eeoc complaint appeared in a local newspaper, and her contract wasn't renewed.
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So do you think the school was right in not defending her? Should a school be held responsible for the students Behavior? In this case the Black children got a free pass for their behavior because vulgar language was considered normal for there culture, and in which some kids heard this language at home.



update:

I uploaded the article i got this story from.


Article-Part 1
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...s/Article1.jpg

Article-Part 2

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...s/Article2.jpg

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PocketLint

The most racist part of this whole thing, is school officials trying to convince the teacher that her harassment was cultural! NO part of African American history or culture has anything to do with being a harrassing culture of people. Infact its the contrary. what exsists now, is distrust and hostility based on the harsh world we live in.

What that teacher should have been told was that she took a job in a place where perhaps the students are ignorant enough to harrass her. These students do not understand the teachers role in their lives. All they know is the hand they're dealt, and that the teacher isnt dealt that hand (but a better one). So then she must be against them.

Ignorance is simply a lack of knowledge. Is she not a teacher? Her job is to spread knowledge. In my opinion a good teacher would have fought to make an impact on these misguided students. Instead of crying victim and throwing in the towel.

Rave_Grip

Well I don't agree with the school's actions. I don't think it's a school to begin with!
And the most annoying part is that she was suspended, rather than the school admitting their mistakes they take it out on her. So what I think is that they shoul have replaced the school officials and put some strict rules to carry out discipline instead.

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Tbaism

I find this thread quite amusing.

I have personally come across this type of situation more than I care to count. Whether is is middle school or highschool, race hostility in a mainly white or black school, I have been there and the atmosphere reaks danger in my opinon.

I completely disagree with the school officials and I whole heartedly respect here actions in filing a lawsuit. I respect here decision and I hope she uses that money to escape that pit forever.

There are so many places that look the other way and don't intervene; I am glad that someone finally did something about it. The school should absolutely be held responsible for their student's behavior. Most schools and associations I have come across are always mirrored by their exployees and or students who attend.

They reflect the schools and what morals/education the students are being introduced to.

fled79

I actually couldn't agree more with your opinion and probably couldn't have said it as well either.

Picture this though, she was a black woman in a predominantly white school where the students constantly shouted "Black B*tch" and so forth. The school told her that if she can't handle it she doesn't belong there. How fast do you think the NAACP would be involved? I bet you that more than just the school principal/vice would have been sued, probably the state. I also bet that they all would have been fired, and she'd have kept her job for life. Now of course I don't know this for certain, but ask yourself (everyone) how plausable it would be these days.

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divine_punishment

That is disgusting. I have a (Caucasian) friend who works at a tough, poor, predominantly black school in the States. Luckily, the kids love him. However, when he started out, he was in the same spot as Kandrac.

The school was wrong in not defending her. It undermines her authority as a teacher and gives the students the impression that they can be rude with no consequences whatsoever. The school should not be held responsible for the children's actions, though; racism is a learned behaviour - usually from the parents. Whatever the media says, such language is not the cultural norm. The school shouldn't have discontinued her contract, and if they felt they had no choice, they ought to have compensated her further.

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rematche

the reason why that it was unfair? simple...it's money. i shows the true color of a person. all these racism crap is totally pointless...too all you racist out there! since you hate all colors, then what are you transparent and color blind?

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PocketLint

Does anyone think about the children?! Its so easy to put them down, to go running to the aid of this teacher. Yes I agree, shes a victim, but so are they. Most teachers know a bit about the school they are working at before they take the job.
Ive been in schools like this.
I've been a bi-racial (black and white) , middle school student in schools like this.

Those kids in alot of cases, have had MANY people who are supposed to be there for them ... walk out there lives. This teacher is just another person who quit THOSE KIDS. Not just a job.

Middle school kids a very impressionable, confused, at a point when they are supposed to be learning who they are. By everyone making a huge uproar of their bad behavior. Its just proving to them that all they are is young criminals. Because of situations like this thats what they end up becoming... Who knows what could have happened had this teacher been strong enough to stick it through with these kids.

If she could have just shown these kids that shes stronger than names being tossed around by middle school kids. If she could have proven that despite whos abandon them before, she will not... Those kids behaivor Im sure would have swayed. Im sure. I used to be one of these kids.

Tbaism

What is unfair and how is that "money showing true color of a person" relate to this? Are you saying the school officials didn't intervine because there motivation was money or because money was the reason why they suspended her?
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Pocket what are you talking about? She was suspended by the school officials, so you could probably assume she didn't quit.

Think about the children? Don't make me laugh. You may have been in a bi-racial middle school, but I am pretty sure you weren't in one that similar. You actually believe they were throwing racist comments at her because a few people walked out on them? I haven't just been in a couple of bi-racial schools during my life, I have lived in those states for years.

A school is suppose to be a safe haven. Kids are surrounded by their peers in a place that is fairly comfortable to them. If you noticed any details from this story, you should be able to piece together that the uproar happened after the incident. The key point in figuring that out, is that fact that she was suespended after they settled the case and after the story got out into the newspapers. If there was such a huge issue during the process, that story would have been out long before she decided to file a lawsuit and the lawsuit would have been even more dramatic.

She seemed pretty strong to me. For one, she is a white middle school teacher located in NC, within a prodominent black facility. She didn't just tuck her tail between her legs and run off, she took the matter to court. She could have easily just quit and moved to another location more suitable to her taste.

Middle school kids aren't as helpless and innocent as you might think. Racist slurrs bing spouted with hate day after day, in the middle of a school, during class isn't exactly a small insignificant issue. That takes guts in itslef and a self confidence you don't find in very many places. From what I understnad, most education facilities don't allow that kind of behavior anywhere, let alone a middle school.

One of those kids? I use to be one myself while living in Michigan. I know the situation pretty well, considering I have had front row seats to just about every possible outcomes these places can throw at you without dieing. Middle school kids. Plenty of them know exactly what they are doing and shouldn't be taken so lightly. Crimes can be committed by elementary students and threats are just the icing on the cake.

And another thing, she tried to confide in her colleagues about the problem and they just brushed her off and accused her of practically being incompetent. What are you suppose to do when you seniors and fellow eployess turn their backs on you and leave you in the dark?

Miroku4444

I don't think she signed on to be verbally assaulted racially. I bet she tried to do just that, but failed.

The article mentioned just that, but i was trying to be PC about it. Your right about that though, just the double standards world we live in. The teacher would probably have a book and tv deal.


Article-Part 1
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...s/Article1.jpg

Article-Part 2

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...s/Article2.jpg

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"You'll hunt me. You'll condemn me, you'll set the dogs on me. But that's what has to happen."

Familyguyfan2

There are alot of racist people around. I hate racist people! If a white person called me the n word I would not be happy! I think they are going to try to stop some black people from saying the n word to each other because some white people think they can do it.(It's some bury the n word thing I heard about) I'm black and I don't use that word. But Iam not offended if somebody black says it. I think the boondocks is going to be cancelled because of the bury the n word thing I heard about. I like that show! I don't want it to be cancelled because of the Civil Rights people.