White Teacher Ask a black student to Say 'Yes, sir, master'

 

A white teacher in Iowa has come under investigation after telling a black student to say 'Yes, sir, master'.


The incident happened as teacher Shawn McCurtain was telling his class of students to go downstairs in Roosevelt High School in order to take their economics final in the middle of last month. 

When student Jabre White said 'Yes, sir,' The Des Moines Register reports that McCurtain replied 'You meant to say "Yes, sir, master."'

The senior quickly responded back to the teacher, who was helping a different teacher in that role and hadn't taught Jabre for the full year. 

'Who the f*** are you talking to? You're nobody's master, and this is not the slave days,' Jabre said. 

He was held up by the school at graduation days after the incident as a student who has shown marked improvement since joining the school two years ago. After his junior year, he was awarded one of the school's highest honors. 

The 17-year-old told his mother about the incident with McCurtain shortly after it happened and she contacted the school's principle to hear about what was being done to investigate and punish the teacher. 

Nicholle White heard back from principal Joseph Blazevich who confirmed that their investigation proved that the incident had happened. 

'The instructor was very remorseful,' Mr Blazevich said according to Ms White, and he described the incident as 'terrible' and 'shameful'.

That said, the principal was unable elaborate about what, if any, punishments the teacher is facing because district rules mandate that disciplinary actions against teachers are kept confidential. 

'I have tried to be humble... But I also feel I need to express as a mother, and as a black woman, how I feel,' Ms White said to The Des Moines Register about her dealings with Roosevelt High School officials. 

At this point, McCurtain is still employed by the school.

School district spokesman Phil Roeder indicated tht there will likely be some kind of punishment but could not expand given their privacy rules. 

'To put it mildly, it was wrong in every way you look at it,' Mr Roeder said.