An Iowa school employee has been suspended after a video of him using a racial slur against a student was posted online.
The employee, who has not yet been identified, was filmed calling a student at Dubuque Hempstead High School the “N-word”.
The Snapchat video, which appears to have been taken on Wednesday, quickly went viral on social media, forcing the school to act quickly.
In the footage, a white employee in a green shirt is standing opposite a black student.
The teacher can be heard saying, “What are you looking at, n—–?”
At the same time, another black student exits the room to the employee’s right.
The second student turned around and was visibly shocked at what he had heard. He was heard shouting “What?” Loudly.
The school’s deputy headteacher, Julia Jorgenson, told the Daily Mail in an interview that the employee had been suspended with immediate effect and was pending investigation.
In a letter to parents, she wrote: “I want to make it clear that the actions seen in this video are unacceptable and do not represent the values of Hempstead High School.
“I have personally spoken with many students and parents today, as well as members of our administration team to reinforce that we are here to support students today,” she said.
