Some Southwest Fresno residents are up in arms over Peter Beck, a white teacher, being hired by the Fresno Unified School District to instruct African-American and Latino studies classes at Gaston Middle School, ABC30 reported.
After years of advocating for a new school and the availability of African-American and Latino studies for teenagers, residents said they feel their push for the right teacher for the classes was rejected. At a press conference held on July 28, the group of upset residents said the teacher was chosen, even after they made their protests heard. They feel that a teacher who can identify with students in the diverse and tough neighborhoods surrounding the school would be more suitable and should have been hired.
The controversy comes at the same time Gaston moves to open its doors for the first time this fall. Part of the area was nicknamed "The U," a spot that was infamous for gangs, crime and drug deals, the Fresno Bee reported. The area is also home to the city's largest black community, as well as residents from many other minority backgrounds.
Rev. Karen Crozier told the Fresno Bee that people of color are still living on racial fault lines, and hiring someone who would be able to educate students about those racial fault lines and how to deal with them, would've been a better option.
But the district said it stands with its hire, saying they chose Beck because he has the best experience and certification to fit the position. The teacher has spent four years teaching African-American studies and the last 10 years teaching Latino studies, Fresno Unified School District Chief Information Officer, Micheline Golden, told ABC30.
State reports on the district's teachers show that just 3 percent of educators in the Fresno Unified School District are African-American, while 22 percent are Hispanic and 64 percent are white. As for the student body, about 9 percent of kids are African-American, 65 percent are Hispanic and 11 percent are white.
