Springfield Public Schools has stated a middle school teacher who was caught on video making derogatory statements to a student is no longer employed by the district.
On the last day of school, a student at Pershing Middle School recorded a teacher handing out “unicorn cupcakes” to celebrate LGBTQ. The video shows the teacher’s reaction to a student that pushed back against her views, where she insults the student by calling him a “straight jerk,” a “weasel,” and other terms.
Springfield Public Schools officials said they were informed about the incident within 24 hours, received video from a parent, and that a hotline call was made to Missouri Children’s Division.
The teacher has not been named publicly.
SPS spokesman Stephen Hall said the statements were inappropriate and inexcusable and that the district followed their board policy for these situations.
State Senator Eric Burlison commented about the video on social media.
“She promoted her personal beliefs in the classroom, she lost her objectivity in a conversation with one of her students, who pushed back on these ideas,” Burlison said. “Crossing the line even further, she is said to have called a young man many demeaning and derogatory names.”