BOONE COUNTY, Ky — A teacher at Boone County High School was placed on administrative leave Thursday following the distribution of a classroom word search puzzle containing a racial slur.
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Boone County School District officials confirmed the educator was suspended while leadership conducts an inquiry into how the altered worksheet was handed out to students, according to our news partners at WCPO.
School district officials stated that an inappropriate word search including a deeply offensive racial slur was distributed by a teacher during class.
District leadership stated that it intends to pursue maximum disciplinary measures.
“We wish to be unequivocally clear: There is NO place in our schools for language or actions that demean, intimidate or marginalize others based on race, identity, background or differences,” the district said in an official statement.
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An anonymous parent of a Boone County High School student provided a photograph captured by their son, showing a word search containing the slur as the initial term to locate and spelled out within the grid.
Stephanie Lopez, a senior, and Aiyana Pendleton, a junior, verified that the image matched the puzzle handed out in class.
“When we got shown the word puzzle, we were confused because we were like, they would never print something like that on purpose,” Lopez said.
Pendleton expressed a similar view regarding the handout.
“I know they would never intend that in that way,” Pendleton said.
An internet search located the identical puzzle on Word Search Labs, a website where users can create and distribute word searches at no cost. The Google preview for the specific puzzle displayed “Adviser” as the first word instead of the racial slur.
Matt Johnson, the developer of Word Search Labs, removed the puzzle after being contacted by email.
“I suspect a student guessed the password for the puzzle (or it didn’t have one), and vandalized the content for maximum shock value,” Johnson said.
District and school officials addressed the failure to follow curriculum standards.
Dr. Jeff Hauswald, superintendent of Boone County School District, released a statement regarding the teacher’s actions.
“I am deeply disappointed that one of our teachers failed to meet the curricular requirements and inclusive expectations we set for EVERY employee at all of our schools,” Hauswald said.
Stacey Black, principal of Boone County High School, praised the students who brought the issue to light.
Black stated that the school is stepping up measures to prevent a recurrence and that she and counselors will meet with the affected students.