Editorial: Now that Murray High teacher has quit, let’s educate students on racial diversity

Published 8:53 pm Monday, April 24, 2017

The video is disturbing.

A first-year Murray County High School teacher is shown sitting at her desk in front of several students. She utters the words “n—– lips.” The students begin laughing. Someone — perhaps a student — implores the teacher, saying, “Do it again.” She pauses, then puckers her lips. The laughter continues.

The racially charged video appeared on social media sites last Wednesday. On Thursday the teacher, Jennifer Cooley, was on administrative leave. By Friday she had resigned from her teaching position.

School system officials were rightfully swift in their admonishment. A school spokesman told The Daily Citizen Thursday morning, “We certainly don’t condone that language. It’s inappropriate in any situation.” Cooley was placed on administrative leave as they investigated the video. Cooley saved the school system further negative press by resigning. The Murray County Board of Education would have had no choice but to fire her.

But this incident shouldn’t be forgotten.

Lost in the fallout of an adult role model using a racial slur are the students who found this episode so thoroughly entertaining. Students who laughed at a teacher’s highly offensive, hurtful word. Students who egged on their teacher to “Do it again.” Students who giggled with delight as their teacher made a face playing on a racial stereotype.

The teacher should have known better. The students should have, too. At this point in their lives, they should have been taught that racial slurs are not accepted in our society.

School system officials — from the board of education to the superintendent to the principal to the teachers — must make this a teachable moment.

They should quickly present classes to students on diversity and multiculturalism. Make students study in depth the struggles minorities have faced and continue to endure throughout the world.

For starters, we suggest a field trip to Dalton’s Emery Center, an African-American Heritage and Multicultural Center. Then bring in speakers of different ethnicities to talk about their experiences with racism. There are many area residents who lived through segregation who can recall what it felt like to attend a different school, be forced to use separate drinking fountains or be made to sit in the balcony of a movie theater. Students need to hear their stories.

Inside the classroom walls, we must do everything we can to show our children that racism still exists. Outside of the classroom walls, we must expose our children to as many cultures as possible. We must teach them that using offensive language and mocking others is not acceptable, whether it’s about the color of a person’s skin, a disability they have, the way they speak or whether they are poor.

The 10-second video cost a teacher her job. It brought embarrassment to the school system. But something positive can come out of this terrible situation.

Through education, our children will better understand others. And hopefully the next time they are confronted with a bigoted situation, they’ll do the right thing.

They won’t laugh.

They will speak out against racism.