COLUMBUS, Ohio — A Columbus City Schools middle school teacher was removed from her classroom after being accused of using a racial slur when talking to students.
A spokesperson for CCS confirmed to 10TV Friday that the district is aware of a video of the alleged incident at Johnson Park Middle School.
It's unclear when the interaction inside the classroom took place. The video was sent to 10TV on Thursday and was also shared in a private Facebook group the same day.
In a statement sent to 10TV the district said, in part, "such language is not acceptable to Columbus City Schools, and it goes against the professional standards we uphold."
A CCS spokesperson said an investigation is currently underway and the district will take the appropriate action based on the outcome.
According to the Department of Education and Workforce, they cannot confirm or provide information on any active investigation of a licensed educator.
The state does have a process on how it handles educator discipline. First, the Ohio Department of Education's Office of Professional Conduct receives the allegation. Then, the office of Professional Conduct does an initial review of the allegation. After that, the investigation gets underway. The process ends with a review of the findings to determine potential discipline.
10TV searched the state's online database for educator misconduct and the teacher who is accused has no prior record.
At this time, 10TV is not naming the teacher who is under investigation.
Here is the full statement from Columbus City Schools:
“We are aware of a recent incident where a teacher is alleged to have used offensive language, including the use of a racial slur while interacting with students. We want to be clear that such language is not acceptable to Columbus City Schools, and it goes against the professional standards we uphold. We take this matter very seriously, and an investigation is currently underway to gather all relevant information surrounding the allegation; we’ll take the appropriate action based on the outcome of the investigation. At Columbus City Schools, we are committed to fostering a safe and inclusive environment for all students and staff.”
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