An East Ridge High School staff member was removed from the Woodbury campus Thursday morning after students reported that the staff member repeatedly used a racial slur, according to a message sent to families.
Principal Jim Smokrovich wrote to families Thursday saying he had received a report that morning of a staff member using a racial slur “while discussing inappropriate comments a student was making toward other students.” He added that the staff member allegedly repeated the slur multiple times during the conversation.
In a statement echoing the letter, a spokesperson for South Washington County Schools said administrators responded quickly by meeting with the students who had made the report and contacting their families.
“Understandably, the students were upset by the use of the racial slur,” Smokrovich wrote to families. “We are grateful to the students who were brave enough to bring this forward and to support our East Ridge values.”
Neither the district nor the principal identified the staff member involved.
Smokrovich’s letter encouraged students to reach out to staff if they needed “additional support to process this incident.”
The staff member was removed from the building, “pending the outcome of the investigation,” Smokrovich wrote. The letter stated that the school does not tolerate derogatory, discriminatory or racist language.
“I offer my sincere apology for the actions that took place in our school,” Smokrovich wrote, inviting families with questions to reach out for a discussion.
