In Sanford, Maine, an incident at Willard Elementary School has sparked outrage after an assistant principal allegedly called a 9-year-old biracial student a racial slur. The child, whose parents are Samantha Kelly and Marcus Smith, reported the incident after being sent to the assistant principal’s office for bullying. The administrator claimed that her intention was to impart a lesson about the impact of words, stating, “If I called you the n-word, how would you feel?”
The father recounted that the assistant principal later acknowledged her mistake, admitting, “Yes, I know I’m wrong. I did call your son that word, and I wasn’t considering the consequences or how it would affect him.” This admission highlights a troubling lack of judgment, as there are numerous ways to educate a child without resorting to slurs.
The superintendent of the school district, Michael Johnson, indicated that the assistant principal would undergo “additional training” to address her actions, asserting that there was no malice intended. However, many believe that this response is inadequate given the severity of the situation. The parents expressed their dissatisfaction, noting the lasting impact such an incident can have on a child’s psyche. “There’s no way she would have thought that if she didn’t view him through that lens,” said Marcus. “They might just let it go, and the same could happen to another child.”
Samantha shared her concern for her son’s emotional well-being, stating, “He’s afraid to go back to school now. This will stick with him forever.”
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In summary, the incident involving the assistant principal’s use of a racial slur against a young biracial student has drawn significant criticism from parents and the community. While the school administration has promised additional training for the staff member involved, many feel that the response is insufficient given the seriousness of the offense.