Teacher who called boy 'monkey' appeals dismissal

Associated Press ^ | Oct. 16, 2003, | Associated Press

[TexasCajun]

LONGVIEW - A Longview High School teacher who allegedly called a student a "monkey" says she plans to appeal the school board's move to fire her.

Geography teacher Kelley Snowden has 15 days to request a hearing before an independent examiner to fight the termination notice the board approved Monday.

Her attorney, Paul Nelson of Henderson, said Snowden's comment had nothing to do with race. He said the teacher had used the term "monkey" playfully in the past to describe her friends' children.

"This is not a racial statement. It's being taken out of context, and we don't really know why," Nelson said.

Longview Superintendent Dana Marable has said the comment "was a disparaging remark made to a student."

District officials have not provided details about how and when the remark was used and have not responded to media requests made under the Texas Public Information Act.

Nelson provided details of the incident to the Tyler Morning Telegraph for Thursday's editions.

He said Snowden made the comment while on hall duty. When a student acted like he was leaving, the teacher said 'You wicked little monkey, you come back here,'" said Nelson, quoting from a statement he said Snowden gave to district officials.

Snowden said in the statement that the student quickly returned and finished the conversation, but later told her he was upset by her comment, Nelson said. The teacher then explained to the student that "monkey" was a "term of endearment," according to the statement read by Nelson, but when the student continued to be upset, the teacher apologized and the student stomped away.

Marable, the superintendent, said the district is considering bringing back the sensitivity training that it used to offer.

"We are always striving to keep things like this from happening on a continuous basis," Marable said.

Snowden is the second Longview High School employee in two months accused of using a racial slur. Debby Deck, a white administrator, was put on paid leave for about a week before returning to Longview High School, after allegedly using the word "Sambo" during a teacher workshop. Deck later apologized.

[TexasCajun]

Speech fascists… They want this teacher jailed, and then they want to fine me $5000 if I call to sell you something without first checking the Do Not Call List. (I’m not trespassing, I’m not on your phone, Im on mine, you knew anyone could call when you signed up with bell just like you knew any commercial might appear when you turned on FOX new, buy an answering machine, it’s your problem, or prepare for this to be a precedent for more Federal regulation of communications.)

I'll support your Freedom of Speech endlessly, but your Speech Rights do not include the Right to an audience. I don't want to hear what you have to sell. Pls don't call me.

[ladylib]

If a student used the term "monkey" in describing another student, he would be expelled and brought up on hate legislation charges so fast his head would spin.

If a kid can be brought up on charges, so can a teacher. Nail her. She has no excuse.

It's unfortunate that it's come to this, but it has.

Screw PC anything and everything. I'm tired of it.

[ladylib]

School yards don't have monkey bars anymore. The kiddies can fall off and get hurt.

[visualops]

I've heard the term applied to children in general, by me as well, and it is about behavior not race. In fact, the term "yard apes" referring to kids running amok outside is very common around here.

[dennisw]

tow-haired

[visualops]

There was a PE teacher/whatever on Bill O'Reilly the other day, and he kept referring to the "recreational structures" or something to that effect, and O'Reilly kept saying "monkey bars? you mean monkey bars?" and the guy just didn't want to admit that's what he was talking about although he eventually did.

[Political Junkie Too]

I've come to the conclusion that we should all just keep our mouths shut and never talk at all so we won't offend someone.

Yeah, until someone says "You're silence on the matter of __________ offends me."

-PJ

[Arpege92]

"Truth be told, I have considered it as being off the table for usage with blacks even in innocence."

As have I....isn't that sad though? I believe this teacher meant no harm and probably regretted her monkey comment once it came out. She was probably thinking that this kid wouldn't take it the wrong way but hey, we do live in "everyone's a victim" society.

[ladylib]

Good grief!

Do you know that many swimming pool manufacturers don't include diving boards anymore? Look at shelter magazines, such as HOUSE AND GARDEN. Pools don't have diving boards.

Many motels that have swimming pools don't have diving boards anymore. The insurance premiums are prohibitive.

I talked to the manager of a motel on Cape Cod. He said that if he had a diving board, he would be required to hire a life guard.

[Stultis]

It's all Aesop's fault!^*

^*If Aesop wasn't white, then it's Bush's fault.

[Bob J]

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[mtbopfuyn]

Whoa, I didn't recognize the name. Thanks for the heads up. She leaves one school scandal and is now leading two bogus ones at her current school; kinda makes ya go, hmmm.

[elfman2]

"Rights do not include the Right to an audience. I don't want to hear what you have to sell. Pls don't call me."

No problem, I won’t. See a brief conversation, it worked.

Just don’t enlist the fed wheedling crippling penalties if I don’t check your name against their list before I introduce myself.

[mtbopfuyn]

If she was a Democrat Senator she could have called him a n!gger with impunity.

Jackson-Lee called someone lilly white the other day and no one batted an eye.

[thegreatbeast]

Mei culpa. Thanks.

[cyborg]

Sometimes by just opening your mouth, you can offend someone by being intelligent.

[Spirited]

You have that right.

[dennisw]

I had to look it up to be sure. Means blond haired, especially in a child it seems

[Rifleman]

There are rug monkeys, porch apes, yard apes, and so on. Nothing much to do with race. What a niggling bunch of idiots to make such a big deal out of a useful descriptive phrase.

[metesky]

There are rug monkeys, porch apes, yard apes, and so on. Nothing much to do with race.

Porch apes? Never heard that one, but in most large urban areas the term "porch monkey" has definite racial meaning.