The mother of a 12-year-old black boy is seeking damages against a Southern California school district after her son’s teacher went on a 30-minute racist tirade laced with profanity.
According to ABC News 7, Katura Stokes filed a damage claim on behalf of her son on Thursday. The claim is against the Palmdale School District over comments made by a science teacher during a Zoom session with her son in January.
In her complaint, Stokes explained that her son had struggled to complete schoolwork using the district’s online platform for distance learning during the pandemic.
Stokes’ complaint alleges that the science teacher, Kimberly Newman, Stokes, and her son had a Zoom session on Jan. 20 to discuss working out issues with using the platform, and Newman said the boy was caught up with his assignments.
But Newman didn’t realize she neglected to end the zoom session before she started complaining to her husband in a half-hour rant, recorded by Stokes. Newman allegedly criticized Stokes by saying, “She’s answered her phone for the first time the entire year .”
“I mean these parents, that’s what kind of piece of sh*t they are,” Newman said, and added: “Black. He’s Black. They’re a Black family, ” Newman exclaimed.
“Your son has learned to lie to everybody and make excuses … to be a child,” Newman said in the video. “Since you’ve taught him to make excuses that nothing is his fault. This is what Black people do.”
Newman was subsequently placed on administrative leave and resigned within days after the Zoom meeting and declined to comment when reached by phone Thursday, the Register said.
