Louisiana School Official Resigns Over Slur-Filled MLK Day Text

Publish date: 2024-07-07
Louisiana School Official Resigns Over Slur-Filled MLK Day Text Skip to Main Content The logo for the Daily Beast's Obsessed website. It reads: 'Obsessed: What to Watch, Binge, See, & Skip' ","type":"Social","width":552,"content":"https://www.facebook.com/walter.g.mclaughlin/posts/pfbid02fLPDNSfNZJQrFNZ9FGj9LBfpdMrzq52MHu9tJgntS7GhyE2vuPu3B2omHf5T3VGZl","version":"1.0","author_url":"https://www.facebook.com/walter.g.mclaughlin","author_name":"Walter","provider_url":"https://www.facebook.com","responseType":"rich","provider_name":"Facebook","socialChecked":"facebook"}],["pt-fancy-links-card",{"id":"ce03425e-a946-4a5a-bccc-d04067040693","links":["https://www.thedailybeast.com/ex-teacher-says-woke-la-prep-school-was-actually-hotbed-for-racism"],"linksData":[{"slug":"ex-teacher-says-woke-la-prep-school-was-actually-hotbed-for-racism","long_headline":"Ex-Teacher Says Woke L.A. 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Say what? Where that come from,” the other person responded."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"“Remind your play[ers] Sunday [we’re] off Monday . For Mark Luther King Day Monday,” Fontana continued, appearing to confuse King Jr.’s first name."]]],[10,1],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"In a letter Monday, Principal Darren Wheeler confirmed the secretary’s departure to parents."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"“Unfortunately on Friday evening, a text message which contained a racial slur from an employee was brought to our attention,” the principal wrote. “That employee is no longer employed by the Ouachita Parish School System. We do not condone any racism in our schools and community.”"]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"A Monroe, Louisiana, "],[0,[0],1,"community member"],[0,[],0," also posted about the ordeal on Facebook, writing, “God is exposing some folks. This is [Nelwyn] Fontana @ Ouachita Jr. High.”"]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"Her Facebook post received nearly 700 comments, over 500 reactions, and more than a thousand shares."]]],[10,2],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"Community members were also quick to say that racial issues at the school run deeper than one official, and many felt the secretary should have been immediately fired instead of being allowed to resign."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"“Anybody actually from Ouachita.. and grew up in that system.. we’re not shocked… lol.. we grew up in that shit,” someone "],[0,[1],1,"commented"],[0,[],0," under the post."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"“How you get fired on your day off though,” another "],[0,[2],1,"wrote"],[0,[],0,"."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"A parent of a Black student at Ouachita Junior High who wished to remain anonymous told The Daily Beast that their child has dealt with discrimination from teachers."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"“It’s been one thing after the other with this school,” the parent said."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"Wheeler declined to comment further or clarify why exactly Fontana chose to quit her job. He directed other inquiries to Ouachita Parish School Board, which did not immediately respond to multiple requests for comment."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"Fontana did not immediately respond to The Daily Beast’s request for comment Tuesday."]]]]},"hero":{"image":{"id":"3848922","crops":{"1_1":{"x":262.3519736842105,"y":0,"width":675,"height":675},"16_9":{"x":0,"y":0,"width":1200,"height":675},"original":{"x":0,"y":0,"width":1200,"height":675}},"title":"","credit":"Photo illustration by Luis G. 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