White Teacher Suspended For Now Allowing Black Students To Use N-Word

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White Teacher Suspended For Not Allowing Black Students To Use N-Word

You read that right.

Overland High School teacher Jay Bennish has found himself damn-near jobless after becoming embroiled in a racism scandal at his school.

According to KDVR, Cherry Creek School District says Bennish is being accused of using racist language, creating a hostile learning environment, and making students feel unsafe but there is a twist to these accusations. Bennish is the sponsor of the Black Student Alliance and he says that he’s being punished for not allowing Black students to use the n-word or call each other “b!t¢h”.

Bennish says two African-American females came to him at the beginning of the school year wanting permission to use the “N-Word” and the “B-Word” at club events. He said, “No, it would violate district policy.”

According to Bennish, the students argued that the N-Word as well as the B-Word were always positive terms when used by African-Americans and women, respectively.

“I informed them that I could not as a club sponsor and a teacher sponsor a club that was going to promote that kind of language being used at school,” said Bennish. “It’s my role as a teacher to uphold district policy regarding civil discourse and language. These are things that are generally not accepted by professional circles and civil society. I felt like I needed to make sure that I informed them clearly that those types of words were not appropriate for use in school.”

Bennish was put on administrative leave on August 27 and the school district has reportedly spent $40,000 in salary to keep him there. Bennish expressed shock and disbelief that the school would encourage him to allow students to use such language. In a letter that was sent to parents, the school stated that Bennish was under investigation for using racist slurs, a charge he vehemently denies.

Jade Jones, a 2017 Overland graduate and VP of the BSA, says the organization, not Bennish, made shirts emblazoned with the phrase “Who You Calling N****?!” Jones says she made the shirts in 2016-2017 and were meant to act as an empowering statement for Black students to combat racism and bigotry.

“It’s supposed to be that – we want to be called as an actual human being and not as this term (the N-word),” she said.

There is more to this story and we suggest you read the entire thing HERE, but in the meantime, what do think of Bennish being suspended for banning the use of n-word by Black students?