In a quarter century teaching career, I learned much of the American education establishment, down to local elementary schools, is irredeemably leftist. They’re true believers, certain of their righteousness and moral and intellectual superiority. They’re also certain parents have no right whatever to regulate their children’s educations. After all, they’re not qualified. Educators are the experts, not parents.
As one might imagine, this kind of institutional arrogance reached its peak during the heyday of wokeness. DEI, CRT and political and sexual indoctrination of kids became virtual sacraments under Biden’s Handler’s Administration and educators thought themselves untouchable and omnipotent. Such thinking was apparently in full bloom at Central Davidson High School in Lexington North Carolina on April 9, 2024.
Graphic: X Post
That day, Christian McGee, 17, was in English class when his teacher was discussing an assignment relating to word meanings. Telling the class to use the word “alien,” the teacher was apparently offended when Christian asked: “like space aliens or illegal aliens without green cards?”
A Hispanic student is said to have joked that he would “kick Christian’s ass.” Apparently, the school district has never claimed that comment was anything other than a joke, but Christian’s question aroused the ire of his English teacher who referred him to Assistant Principal Eric Anderson who, claiming Christian’s question was “racially motivated,” suspended him for three days. Christian responded:
“I didn’t make a statement directed towards anyone — I asked a question,” McGee told the Carolina Journal last year.
“I wasn’t speaking of Hispanics because everyone from other countries needs green cards, and the term ‘illegal alien’ is an actual term that I hear on the news and can find in the dictionary,” he added.
Christian’s parents tried to reverse the school's overreaction, but the school and school board clung to their woke invincibility, apparently claiming Christian’s comment caused a “class disruption.”
If that’s what that school district calls a “disruption,” they’re apparently dealing with hundreds of disruptions every day.
A smart, politically neutral English teacher would have clarified the meaning they intended and given the Hispanic student a “that’s enough” teacher look with a slight smile, and the “disruption” would have ended in seconds. Unfortunately, the teacher was apparently neither smart nor non-political and chose to escalate.
A smart, politically neutral assistant principal receiving the teacher’s referral would have asked a few questions, like “was Christian being a smart ass, and was there any real threat or real disruption?” According to all acounts, the answer to those questions was “no,” and there the matter might have ended.
In sane, professional schools, the matter would have been handled by a “teacher look” and clarification. Or, if the teacher was upset for some reason, by an assistant principal telling the teacher he’d talk to the student, which he may or may not have done if he had time. Assistant high school principals tend to be rather busy dealing with actual disciplinary matters.
Facing an arrogant and unmovable school district, Christian’s parent filed a lawsuit.
George Washington University Law Professor Jonathan Turley, whose politics are left- leaning, but who is a rational, honest teacher of the law, explains the outcome:
The board has now agreed to remove all references to racial bias in McGhee’s school record and issue a public apology “for the mischaracterization of racial bias” in his record, documents show.
The board will also pay $20,000 in compensation to help his family with the costs of tuition at his new private school after he was forced to transfer after being suspended.
That’s the correct outcome, but an outcome that should never have been necessary. The teacher, assistant principal and school board members will suffer nothing for their heavy-handed, woke abuse of Christian, and $20,000 is scant compensation for the expense and difficulty to which they subjected Christian and his family.
Turley correctly observes:
The problem is that there is no indication that the school officials or Board members responsible for this travesty will be held accountable in any way. They not only abused this young man, but they cost the county money in litigation and settlement. After forcing this family into court, they are now just shrugging and walking away.
Until these officials incur real consequences for such actions, this pattern will continue to repeat itself.
At every level, beginning with the teacher, the school district overreacted. They had multiple opportunities to avoid a lawsuit, beginning with the Assistant Principal, but failed at every step. Perhaps the solution is forcing school officials to pay settlements out of their own pockets rather than using taxpayer money to pay for their politically correct arrogance.
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Mike McDaniel is a USAF veteran, classically trained musician, Japanese and European fencer, life-long athlete, firearm instructor, retired police officer and high school and college English teacher. He is a published author and blogger. His home blog is Stately McDaniel Manor.