A New Mexico high school teacher is under fire after she took to Facebook on “A Day Without Immigrants” and wrote that illegal immigrants should be deported so schools can make room to "better serve American citizen students."
The unnamed Albuquerque High School teacher noted on Feb. 16 that one of her classes was "quieter than usual" with a third of her pupils gone, KRQE-TV reported.
The teacher said that the absent students included those "who usually spend their time insisting on speaking Spanish" during English as a Second Language class, the station said.
"They weren't there to cuss in Spanish, distract other students and generally be disruptive," the teacher wrote, KRQE reported. "So all in all, I'd say the day was a success."
Image source: KRQE-TV video screen cap
In addition, the teacher posted that illegal immigrants should be deported to free up "our schools to better serve American citizen students," the station said.
Image source: KRQE-TV video screen cap
That didn't go over too well with some people connected to the high school.
“It’s really disheartening that a teacher would have such awful things to say about her kids,” Gilbert Borunda, whose grandson attends Albuquerque High School, told KRQE.
Image source: KRQE-TV video screen cap
Rayne Weahkee, a former AHS student, told the station he's "disappointed because I always felt the school should be held to a higher standard, and this isn’t helping their image."
Image source: KRQE-TV video screen cap
An Albuquerque Public Schools spokesperson told KRQE that "district officials are aware of this issue and have addressed it, but because it’s a personnel issue, there’s nothing more to share.” The station said that it isn't naming the teacher since it doesn't know if she was placed on leave.
As for the district's response, Weahkee told KRQE that "it means they’re unconcerned about the people who are teaching our nation’s youth."
“At minimum, she should be warned ... some sort of verbal warning about this kind of behavior,” Borunda told the station.
Principal Tim McCorkle told KRQE he's addressed the issue but wouldn't tell the station if the teacher has been disciplined.
Albuquerque Public Schools has a required social media training course for teachers, KRQE reported, adding that unacceptable activities include derogatory comments on race and religious affiliation and telling sexist or racist jokes.
Other teachers were disciplined after expressing similar views in connection with "A Day Without Immigrants." A Florida teacher was reprimanded for a post praising mass deportation, and a Washington state teacher was placed on administrative leave after sharing information about how to contact U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to “report illegal aliens.”
(H/T: EAGNews)
