The University of Oklahoma is finding itself in a lot of controversies during Black History Month. For the second time in two weeks, a professor at the school is accused of using a racial slur.

According to CNN, the latest allegation involves a history teacher who used the N-word repeatedly while reading a historical document.

 “We are all weary of racially charged incidents occurring within our university community," interim university president Joseph Harroz Jr. said in a statement. "Now, for the second time in less than two weeks, I find myself addressing a faculty member’s use of racially offensive language in the classroom.”

Harroz said the professor could have made the point without reciting the actual word, but she chose otherwise.

"It is common sense to avoid uttering the most offensive word in the English language, especially in an environment where the speaker holds the power," he said.

CNN reports the professor issued a "trigger warning" before reading the document, but Harroz said that "doesn't lessen the pain caused by the use of the word."

"For students in the class, as well as members of our community, this was another painful experience," he said.

According to The Hill, a journalism teacher at the school was also accused of using the slur earlier this month. The professor told the students that saying "OK, boomer" is the same as calling another person a "n****r." 

Harroz said the school "began working on a number of action steps" after the incident two weeks ago, including "a new required diversity, equity, and inclusion training regimen for all OU faculty, staff, and administration to complete." 

"While students already engage in this type of training, for the first time our faculty and staff will be required to participate as well," the interim president said. "We are also developing an incident response protocol, that quickly employs culturally restorative justice practices designed to create a pathway to reconciliation through education and the changing of behavior." 

Although the latest incident happened before the school implemented its new plan, Harroz said the university "is resolute in addressing these matters with decisive action."

"It is our responsibility to ensure that OU fulfills its promise to lead in bringing society closer together,” he said.

KOCO News reports that students of the university's Black Emergency Response Team have responded to the incidents by announcing the start of a hunger strike on Wednesday morning. The strike will continue if a list of demands created by the organization are not satisfied. Among the demands are the resignation of school provost Kyle Harper and the establishment of a campus multicultural center. 

Other educators around the country have also been accused of using the slur in recent months. In August, professor Laurie Sheck at the New School in New York allegedly used the racial slur during a discussion about James Baldwin. A professor at Augsburg University in Minnesota was suspended last year for using the N-word while also leading a class discussion about a James Baldwin book.  

Racist-TeacherUniversity of Oklahoma