Andrea Bryan, a black teacher in the New York school district who filed a lawsuit said she has been discriminated against while she performed her duties as a teacher.
She says in her 17 years as a teacher, she is the only black teacher which is somewhat an absurdity. Andrea taught English at the Commack School district and had to endure harassment from both teachers and students alike.
She claimed in an incident before the court that she made inquiry about some peanut on the table from the lead teacher and was told it was for “whites only”.
In another incident, that left her embarrassed and humiliated, she was asked to “translate slave talk” while they were teaching the play “The Crucible”. The play is about a black slave who travels to the US from Barbados.
After this incidence, Andrea made an official complaint about what transpired and was demoted. This happened in 2015. Even students who ought to be reprimanded and who she requested because of certain racist remarks were left untouched.
Andrea Bryan claimed in the suit, to have been denied a dedicated classroom, which even teachers junior to her, were privileged to have because of the color of their skin.
She was also once given a hand sanitizer by one of her colleagues because she was black and was viewed dirty because of her black skin color.
Andrea Bryan accuses the school of indifference and failure to act in line with standard procedure when issues like this are brought to their notice.
On behalf of the district, it was said that issues like this are properly investigated and acted upon on time, by a spokesperson.
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