A white teacher at South Doyle High School in Tennessee was recorded repeatedly using the n-word in front of distraught students who said they felt “very disrespected” by his actions.
Sanford Graves has been furloughed with pay, according to the Knoxville News Sentinelafter several videos of him using the offensive term were posted online.
In one video, a student who appears to be black tries to tell the teacher not to use the term and is visibly distressed by the situation, even as the educator says he thinks the word is “derogatory” and “terrible.”
Graves, a high school science teacher, tries to say “it’s in English” and doesn’t “care if it’s right” that he says it about half a dozen times.
Supposedly, the teacher was trying to repeat something a student had said, saying, “He said, ‘Mr. Graves, why don’t you call any of these other niggas’?”
In the video, other students can be heard exasperated by the use of the term and the videos sparked a strong reaction online with parents calling for the man to be fired.
A white teacher at South Doyle High School in Tennessee was filmed repeatedly using the n-word in front of students who said they felt “disrespected” during the situation.
Sanford Graves has been suspended with pay, according to the Knoxville News Sentinel, after multiple videos of him using the offensive term were posted online.
The incident occurred inside the Knoxville High School on March 27.
Several students in the sophomore chemistry class said that Graves had called out a student for being loud, who then responded by asking Graves, ‘Why aren’t you calling out any of these other niggas?’
Malayia Pelcher, who was in the class, told Knox Sentinel News that she was shocked and hurt by the exchange inside a classroom.
“All of this made me feel like our teacher doesn’t care about us,” Pelcher said.
‘Why would you tell us that as a class when we didn’t do anything to you?’ the teen told Middle Tennessee.
The videos show that one particular student was trying to explain to Graves why he, as a white male, should not use the n-word.
The black student going back and forth with the teacher at one point says, ‘ask anyone here, I guarantee these other white guys aren’t saying it.’
That’s when the recording student responds, ‘never’, to the other student’s message.
“I don’t care,” Graves replies. ‘You can say a word in the English language.’
“It’s derogatory,” Graves can be heard saying in another clip that doesn’t show his face. I think it’s terrible.
According to the Tennessee Department of Education, 26 percent of the students at South-Doyle High School are students of color.
That video was posted to Facebook by Jennifer Lawson, who identifies her daughter, Bella, as the one who took the videos in class.
‘Please watch! I CANNOT believe what happened at Bella’s school. She took these clips! Professor BETTER get fired!! CRAZY!’ Lawson wrote on Facebook.
Several students in the class said that Graves had called out a student for being loud, who then responded by asking Graves, ‘Why aren’t you calling out any of these other niggas?’
The videos show that one particular student was trying to explain to Graves why he, as a white male, should not use the n-word. The black student at one point says, ‘ask anyone here, I guarantee these other whites aren’t saying it’
“I don’t care,” Graves replies. ‘Can you say a word in English’
A video was posted to Facebook by Jennifer Lawson, who identifies her daughter, Bella, as the one who took the videos in first period chemistry class.
Lawson wrote about the video: ‘Trigger warning: racism at my daughter’s school’
In comments to Lawson’s video on Facebook, a person identifying themselves as a student said Graves was removed from the school immediately afterward.
“The same day this happened, they took him out and cleaned his room,” said one student.
In another video, the clip continues and other students yell at the teacher, telling him to stop.
“You can’t say that shit, what the hell,” exclaims a student.
‘Don’t say that,’ a boy yells.
‘Stop saying it,’ yells another.
A clip shows another adult in the room talking to the teacher as he explains the situation, but continues to use the racially charged word.
A video posted on Tik Tok compiling various clips has received nearly 10,000 views as of Wednesday night.
The videos have garnered massive attention online from outraged parents and citizens calling for the teacher to resign or be fired from his position.
In comments to Lawson’s video on Facebook, a person identifying themselves as a student said Graves was removed from the school immediately afterward.
“The same day this happened, they took him out and cleaned his room,” the student said.
“It’s horrible that someone else says this word. It’s 2023 and there are still people saying this, terrible,” another person wrote on Facebook.
In another video, other students yell at the teacher, telling him to stop.
‘Don’t say that,’ a boy yells. ‘Stop saying it,’ yells another
Spokeswoman Carly Harrington told the outlet that there is an active investigation into the situation and Graves’ status could change as the investigation progresses.
“Thank you to the Knox County Schools Administration and South Doyle High School for their quick response to the matter,” Knoxville resident Denzel Grant wrote.
In a statement to Knox Sentinel News, Knox County Schools said it “does not tolerate any instances of racism.”
Spokeswoman Carly Harrington told the outlet that there is an active investigation into the situation and the teacher’s status could change as the investigation progresses.
Parents and family members of students at the school thanked the district for working quickly to address the issue.
“Thank you to the administration of Knox County Schools and South Doyle High School for their quick response to the matter,” Knoxville resident Denzel Grant wrote.
Mr. Sanford Graves was suspended and removed from school shortly after today. His employment status is pending. I hope reasonable punishment is imposed to set a standard for our educators and our youth,” Grant continued.
“I also hope that we take this situation and help our young people understand not only POWER but also vulnerability with the words they use,” he concluded.
The teacher in the video, Sanford Graves, has been expelled from South-Doyle High School. I hope they fire him,” wrote a woman on Facebook.
DailyMail.com contacted Knox County Schools for an update on the investigation, but did not receive a response by time of publication.