Black Student Santa Costume Ridiculed by Teacher Leads to Controversy, Suspension of Educator
A teacher at a New Mexico high school was put on paid administrative leave after the teacher ridiculed an African American student after he came to school dressed as Santa Claus, a school official stated.
Students at Cleveland High School in Rio Rancho, just north of Albuquerque, were told last week they would be able to come to school dressed as different characters for the holidays.
However, when Christopher Rougier, an African American ninth grader, showed up dressed as Santa Claus, he was told by the teacher that he couldn't dress up like Santa Claus because he is white.
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"Christopher, don't you know Santa Claus is white? Why are you wearing that?" the student's father, Michael Rougier, told local television station KOB, when describing the teachers remarks.
A statement released by the school insisted that the teacher involved had made a poor decision and made an inappropriate comment toward the student.
"This situation involves a teacher recently hired by Cleveland High who made - and admits he made - a stupid mistake. The remark was inappropriate and should not have been made," said Kim Vesely, Director of Parent, Community, and Staff Engagement for Rio Rancho Public Schools.
The incident at Cleveland High School concerning Rougier reportedly occurred last week during a school holiday dress-up day, according to CNN affiliate KOAT. His father, Michael, revealed that his son was "embarrassed" by the situation and now doesn't want anything to do with Christmas.
"He needs to be fired," Rougier said about the teacher. "For him to make a comment like that, there has to be at a minimum prejudice in him, and we don't have room for that." The father added that the teacher later called his wife to apologize for what happened, but his father insists that doesn't excuse the situation.
