A Richmond High School substitute teacher was captured on video this week grabbing a student and throwing him to the floor after the student reportedly called him a racial slur.
West Contra Costa Unified School District Superintendent Dr. Kenneth Hurst confirmed the teacher is no longer employed by the district and said the student did not sustain any major injuries.
"I just want to be very clear that no teacher should be putting hands on a student at any time," Hurst said. "That was inappropriate, and our stance is that should not have happened."
Hurst said school investigators confirmed the student used a racial slur. They said that does not mean they condone the teacher's actions.
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Hurst said the student will face disciplinary measures for using a racial slur.
On Tuesday, students at the high school protested in solidarity with the teacher and against the use of racial slurs on campus.
"I think it's extremely important for us to listen to the voices of our students but also to listen to the voices of our Black students and also our educators who have had shared experiences," Hurst said.
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To prevent future incidents, Hurst said he's working to strengthen the school district's anti-racism policies and provide professional development for teachers to help them better handle these situations.
