At least five teachers and one guidance counselor from a California high school are being investigated for a social media post that mocked students who joined the "Day Without Immigrants" strike Thursday, Feb. 16. The educators from Riverside's Rubidoux High School posted disparaging remarks against Latino kids who skipped classes to observe the strike that happened across America.
Social science teacher Geoffrey Greer was said to have started a post where he expressed students who participated in the strike used the day "to be lazy or get drunk." Other teachers chimed in and remarked that they had fewer troublemakers and incidence in school. The cafeteria was clean and only the bright kids were in the classes because the rest joined "Day Without Immigrants," Huffington Post reports.
The Facebook post, however, has been deleted following an outrage from the community. Students who read the teachers' messages walked out on Friday afternoon carrying the Mexican flag. Jurupa school district Superintendent Elliott Duchon said the teachers who joined that discussion have been put on administrative paid leave since Friday, The Press-Enterprise reports.
Duchon also released an official statement through the Jurupa school district site. "We want to express that we are deeply concerned and distressed about the postings," the superintendent said. "We will investigate further and will take appropriate action in this matter."
Some students and alums expressed disappointment regarding the teachers, some of whom were actually well-liked by the kids. "School is supposed to be a safe zone where we can all feel comfortable to gain the education we need," Anthony Coffey, whose boyfriend is a former student at the high school said, KTLA reports.
"Now we know what he really thinks of us," Bernice Meza, 17, an honor student said about Greer. Rubidoux High School has a 91 percent Latino student-base. Businesses, especially restaurants, shut down in America on the "Day Without Immigrants," The Guardian reports.
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