Wootton High School confronts racism as principal is placed on leave
ROCKVILLE, Md. - Montgomery County Public Schools is under scrutiny after a racial slur was discovered in a Wootton High School classroom.
The school district’s response to the incident, which occurred on Dec. 2, has drawn criticism from students, parents, and community leaders, prompting Principal Douglas Nelson to go on administrative leave.
Superintendent Thomas Taylor admitted the school district is responsible for the "harm" it may have caused its students.
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Racial slur found written on Black student's desk Wootton High School
Montgomery County Public School leaders say they are working to address a racist incident that happened at Wootton High School last week.
The incident involved the N-word being written on a Black student’s desk. Students and community members were not informed until later that week, sparking outrage over the district's slow response.
"This isn’t the first or second racist incident at Wootton this year," said Teramoluwa Taiwo, co-president of the school’s Black Student Union. "Time and time again, these policies are applied for other groups of students, and we’re just asking for the same resources to be used for Black students."
Fellow BSU co-president Leila Khademian stressed the importance of accountability.
"We want to see improvement, and we want to see promises being kept," she said.
County Council Vice President Will Jawando, chair of the Education Committee, called the inadequate response part of a larger problem.
"This latest incident shows we have serious issues in our schools and community," Jawando said. "These incidents need to be addressed quickly and taken with the seriousness they deserve."
Dr. Thomas Taylor takes over as MCPS superintendent
Montgomery County Public Schools leaders have appointed Dr. Thomas Taylor as the district’s new superintendent.
In a letter to families, MCPS apologized, stating that "discrimination, hate, and bias in any form will not be tolerated in Montgomery County Public Schools."
Superintendent Taylor pledged a commitment to change and assured that the student responsible for the racist act would face consequences.