DOVER, N.H. (WHDH) - School officials in Dover, New Hampshire are vowing to get to the bottom what they’re calling an “incident of extreme racial insensitivity” hours after a video surfaced that appeared to show students singing a KKK-themed Christmas carol.
In a statement to the school community, Dover Superintendent William Harbron said, “We want to make you aware that we are working with students and educators at Dover High School to investigate and address an incident of extreme racial insensitivity. While the incident was part of a classroom assignment dealing with reconstruction person in American history, the impact was harmful.”
The teacher who put together the assignment for students to create lyrics about Civil War Reconstruction to the tune of Christmas carols has since been placed on paid leave.
JUST IN: Dover Schools tells me the teacher who created the assignment for kids to create lyrics about Civil War Reconstruction to the tune of Christmas carols, is now on paid administrative leave. Two students were recorded singing about the KKK using offensive language. #7News pic.twitter.com/g3kOOMoIA9
— Justin Dougherty (@DoughertyJC) December 3, 2018
In the video, which was posted to Snapchat, students can be seen singing what appears to be a KKK-themed rendition of Jingle Bells.
The statement continued, “We are deeply concerned that an event such as this could occur and understand the emotion and concerns that this event will create for our students, families, and staff. Administration from Dover High School and the District are working with students and the school community to respond immediately and effectively to this racial insensitivity.”
Harbron said the school community will be “updated as we created opportunities to come together and discuss, process, and plan as a community to address both the immediate situation and long-term implications of racial insensitivity and implicit bias.”
“I thought it was definitely handled pretty poorly, and that it was not very sensitive,” said student Iain Brough. “Subjects like these should be taught with way more sensitivity.”
The district said the teacher is experienced and this is not the first time for the assignment, but he will remain on paid administrative leave until the investigation is complete.
“I don’t know what was his overall plan of why he would engage students in that activity or maybe it was designed that he didn’t think it would go there,” Harbon said. “But those are things we have to find out.”
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