The Channelview Independent School District apologized for what they said were "insensitive and offensive fake mock awards."
A Texas girl is speaking out after a teacher allegedly named her the student “most likely to become a terrorist,” according to reports.
Lizeth Villanueva was shocked when the teacher signed and handed her a certificate with the insulting superlative during a mock awards ceremony at Anthony Aguirre Junior High School Channelview, she told KHOU-TV.
“She said some people might get offended, but she doesn’t really care about our feelings,” the 7th grader said. “She was laughing about it.”
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But the so-called joke missed the mark with Lizeth and her mother, Ena Hernandez, who told the television station she had to read the certificate twice before its label sunk in.
While the school’s principal reportedly apologized during a meeting and the educators are being disciplined in accordance with policy, Lizeth said she believes those involved should be fired.
The preteen—who is apparently in an advanced academic program and has never had a disciplinary problem—said she has not been back to class since she received the certificate.
The Channelview Independent School District apologized for what it said were “insensitive and offensive fake mock awards.”
“Channelview ISD would like to assure all students, parents and community members that these award statements and ideals are not representative of the district’s vision, mission and educational goals for our students,” it said in a statement obtained by KHOU-TV.
The district would not release the names of the teachers, saying it is a personnel matter, but noted the incident is still under investigation.
“It doesn’t look good at all, especially coming from a teacher, a grown-up woman,” Hernandez said. “It doesn’t look good because everything that’s going on right now.”
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