After allegedly being called the N-word by the student, the Black substitute teacher slammed the teen to the ground before Tossing him out of the classroom. The incident transpired in a freshman-level introduction to ethnic studies class.

The teacher believed the student’s prior use of the derogatory word was disrespectful. During the confrontation, you can also overhear a student asking the teacher, “you’re going to fight with a student?” It’s unclear whether the teenager himself or one of his classmates posed the question. The educator insisted that he wasn’t trying to fight and that his hands were behind his back.

 

A teacher in #Richmond has been fired after a video went viral showing him slamming a student to the ground and then shoving him out of the classroom for allegedly calling him the N-word 😳 pic.twitter.com/n4tACWTcas

— No Jumper (@nojumper) January 27, 2023

 

While shoving the teacher twice, the student can be heard saying, “I’m not playing with you, Bro,” before the instructor loses his temper. The teacher aggressively grabbed the student and threw him to the floor, demanding him to “Say it again.

According to the Atlanta Black Star, the instructor was fired on the spot. The following day, hundreds of students participated in a peaceful protest organized by the Black Student Union. Their demonstration was in response to the prevalence of the N-word on campus.

Hundreds of students at Richmond High School participated in a peaceful protest on campus Tuesday, one day after a substitute teacher was fired for attacking a student. https://t.co/01khp1NaI0

— KTVU (@KTVU) January 25, 2023

 

According to Markeith Anderson, a junior at the high school, the term is frequently used there.

“It wasn’t right for that word to get used,” Anderson told Fox KTVU. “It gets tossed around on campus.”

Senior Leonie Goff explained that the teacher’s patience had run thin after the student used the racial epithet.

“I think [the teacher] was just at his limit because, at Richmond High, that word does get tossed around a lot, so we just want to stop it,” Goff said.

 

The teacher’s actions regarding the racial slur were met with condemnation from Rogelio Casillas, a student at the school where the incident occurred.

“There is no justifying it. I just think he could have taken better precautions, like calling the principal or some other authority. It was a bad move; I’ll say that,” he said.

Casillas also praised the instructor, saying that based on his time as a substitute in his class, “he was a pretty cool guy.”

 

On Wednesday, video of the incident spread across social media, and viewers were split on whether the teacher ought to be charged.

Black Student Union Advisor Kiraa Easter reported the nonviolent protest began during lunch and continued until the end of the school day. She expressed her pride in the students for spearheading the initiative. The phrase “we stop, you stop” was created by the group. She hopes that the incident will lead to a shift in campus culture.

Although the Richmond police are conducting an investigation, it is still unknown whether the teacher will face criminal charges. Sgt. Donald Patchin asserts that after the police turn over their findings, the district attorney’s office will decide whether or not to file charges. Both felony and misdemeanor battery charges could be brought against the teacher, ABC7 reports.