WASHINGTON HEIGHTS — Some parents at a Washington Heights elementary school are pushing to have a longtime teacher disciplined after their kids said she called them ignorant and stupid.
But other parents at Medgar Evers Fine & Performing Arts School said the teacher is an excellent instructor, and thought the students might have misunderstood what she said.
The issue rose to the level of the school's local school council getting involved — and now Chicago Public Schools officials said they are investigating.
Before last week's incident, the complaining students said they thought she was a nice teacher.
But that changed after she allegedly called them ignorant and stupid.
One of the teacher's students said: "We were outside playing for recess and someone kicked a ball she had given us to play with under the car. [The teacher] said, 'Who would be so ignorant and stupid to kick my ball under a car? Oh, I know: My class.' When she said that, it made me feel bad." Other students interviewed gave a similar version of events.
The teacher declined comment this week when DNAinfo Chicago reached her by phone.
CPS officials said they are investigating the incident.
Wendell Hutson says parents are very upset, and one wants his child transferred to another classroom:
"We take allegations like this very seriously, and are working with school leadership to ensure that our students feel supported in their studies and time at school," CPS spokesman Bill McCaffrey said. "While CPS does not comment on personnel matters, we are committed to providing a positive learning climate at each of our schools to ensure that every student feels respected and challenged, when they come through our doors."
Parents said they are also taking the incident seriously and last week met with Principal Caroline Ellis and the teacher. Parents said the teacher said she did not mean the remarks to be harsh.
"Even after admitting it, she didn't apologize for what she said," said Tara Parker, 42, an Evers parent. "She said in the meeting that she did not mean to hurt the kids' feelings."
Parker said Ellis told parents at the meeting that she did not believe the comments made by the teacher, who is white, were racist, as some parents have suggested, since the class consists only of black students.
Ellis declined comment.
Eugene Kimmons, another Evers parent, said he asked to have his daughter transferred to another classroom.
"After what happened I don't feel comfortable leaving my child in that class," he said.
The local school council at Medgar Evers, 9811 S. Lowe St., plans to discuss the incident at its Oct. 20 meeting, said Necole Reid, president of the council and also an Evers parent.
"My son told me a different version of what happened," Reid said. "He said when the ball got kicked under the car, the teacher asked the question, 'Who would be so stupid and ignorant to do such a thing?' But she did not direct it to the class."
Reid said that at some point she plans to meet one-on-one with the teacher to find out what exactly she said, but until then she will give her the benefit of the doubt.
Reid said the woman "is an excellent teacher who is passionate about teaching and is an asset to the school."
Stephanie Gadlin, a spokeswoman for the Chicago Teachers Union, did not return calls seeking comment.
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