“His teacher had made some comments that she has a teacher next door, he’s a Black teacher, and she refers to him as the ‘monkey next door.” https://t.co/Vh9RSMyzV1

— NBC12 WWBT Richmond (@NBC12) September 11, 2022

Wiggins said her 8th-grade son came home upset after hearing the comment and told her the same teacher asked the class to participate in a cotton picking activity where she brought in raw cotton for the class.

Wiggins contacted the Dorchester District school administration to rectify the situation but has not heard back. According to ABC, a recording of the meeting with the teacher is released, and the teacher can be heard admitting she made the monkey statement but says she “didn’t mean it that way.”

She also defended her statement by inciting that the neighboring teacher is her friend, who she calls that.

“I guess she feels that because that’s her friend she can talk that way. The assistant principal, she said that sometimes kids don’t understand adult-to-adult conversation … But when you’re speaking with a classroom full of children, referencing the teacher that way- that’s wrong. Yeah, I was shocked when she said it,” Wiggins said.

“No right-thinking parent or person would want their child subjected to this kind of thought pattern or racially stereotypical talk by a teacher at such a tender age of the child,” Wiggins’ attorney said.

Regarding the teacher’s classroom behavior, the Dorchester School District issued a statement to ABC4 noting that it takes every claim seriously.

“Dorchester School District Two takes every allegation seriously. We are currently investigating an alleged incident at Oakbrook Middle School. We do not comment on personnel matters,” the district’s statement read.

“All staff should recognize that they are being continuously observed by students and that their actions and demeanor will be reflected in the Conduct of the students,” the district noted.

The teacher has not been met with any disciplinary actions from the District.