FRIENDSWOOD, Texas – A high school teacher is on administrative leave after being accused of making a racially insensitive comment to a Muslim student following the death of Osama bin Laden.
The alleged incident happened Monday at Clear Brook High School. Neither the teacher nor the student have been identified.
"I heard that one of the teachers told a student, a Muslim student, that 'I guess you are grieving' over bin Laden's death," said Mustafaa Carroll, the executive director of the Houston chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations. "It is troubling because it says there are people who actually believe that Muslims are grieving over the death of someone that's caused so much misery to others."
The Clear Creek Independent School District declined an on-camera interview, but issued a written statement where it confirmed the teacher had been placed on administrative leave.
“In the Clear Creek Independent School District, we believe diversity strengthens our community and seek opportunities to celebrate the different cultures within our schools and neighborhoods,” said Elaina Polsen, the district’s public information officer. “The statements allegedly made by this teacher are not shared by the staff at Clear Brook High School or anyone within the Clear Creek Independent School District.”
“In accordance with CCISD policy, the teacher has been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of a personnel investigation,” she said. “The student did the right thing and immediately notified an adult regarding the teacher’s comments. The principal at Clear Brook High School notified the child’s parents and has been in communication with the family.”
"A lot of people are talking about actually what happened,” one student said Wednesday after school. “It's all over Facebook. It's all over Twitter."
Some students felt the comments had been blown out of proportion, while others said the student had been humiliated and started crying.
“I've known the teacher for like six years,” one senior told KHOU 11 News. “He's a nice guy, but it's just not surprising."He just likes to make jokes."
