The families of the two students allege that Monique-Gale Messina, a teacher at Eldred Junior Senior High, made multiple racist comments during class, questioning their skin tone and hair texture, ultimately leading to emotional distress and requiring mental health counseling.
Eldred Central School District Superintendent Traci Ferreira's defense of Messina was particularly concerning. She claimed that Messina could not be prejudiced because 'she ate tacos,' leading to critiques regarding this justification and its implications about racism.
Despite clear findings from an investigation that Messina engaged in racially discriminatory behavior, the school district took no action to remove her or protect the affected students, raising questions about accountability in educational environments.
The complaint highlights the disheartening fact that with only eight Black students in a school of 230, there is a pressing need for protective measures against racial bias and discrimination in such minority situations.
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