A teacher from Newport News, Va., found herself in hot water Sept. 18 after she used the n-word as part of a history lesson about Native Americans and racial prejudice.
Teacher Lynne Pierce was in the middle teaching an AP U.S. history class at Heritage High School when the incident took place. The focus of the class that day was about Native Americans and the prejudice and derogatory terms that are associated with them, according to Fox News.
In an interview with Newport News Daily Press, Pierce said that one student had asked about the Washington Redskins saying: "What's the big deal with calling them redskins?"
Pierce, trying to explain why it is inappropriate to use names or words that reflect prejudice against any racial group, reportedly asked the student: "What would you think if someone started a team called the Newport News N------?"
One student in the class, offended by the question, told the principal about the incident, who in turn placed Pierce, who has been a teacher for 40 years, on paid administrative leave, according to The Root.
School authorities are investigating the incident to determine if Pierce should be disciplined or allowed back into the classroom.
Despite being white, and teaching at a school that is 90 percent black, Pierce has gained a high amount of support, with more than 1,500 people signing a petition to try and get Pierce back in the classroom, according to CBS Virginia affiliate WTVR.
Juslena Williams, a black 2011 Heritage graduate and the person behind the petition, said that Pierce is "probably one of the best teachers in the area and is worth standing up for."
"She is a history teacher, she cannot be censored for teaching terms and beliefs that people had throughout history," she said.
