A teacher at Margaret A. Neary School in Southborough has been placed on administrative leave after officials say the educator held an impromptu mock slave auction during a history lesson and used the N-word while discussing a book in class.
According to the email, the instructor was teaching a lesson on the"economy of southern colonies" in January that covered slavery. "It was later brought to the District's attention that the 'N-word' does not appear in the book," Martineau's email to parents stated."Dehumanizing words such as slurs should not be spoken by employees or students. Using such words can harm students and negatively impact an open discussion on a particular topic."
Valenti did not respond to a request for comment Thursday. The superintendent also did not respond to a request for comment. His email indicates"all personnel matters will remain confidential."Meghan Cifuentes, parent to a fifth grader in the class, told WBUR that her child came home from school one day and said the teacher had uttered"a bad word" in the classroom.