Collin County

Video of Racial Slur in Plano Catholic High School Prompts ‘Serious Disciplinary Measures'

The incident marks the second time in as many weeks that racially derogatory language has been caught on video in a North Texas classroom

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"Serious disciplinary measures" have been taken against a group of high school students in Plano after a video surfaced of an incident involving the use of a racial slur, school administrators say.

In a letter sent to parents Thursday, John Paul II High School President Chad Evans said the incident involving a racial slur happened during a “free period” while students were playing a game. The full letter can be viewed below, or click here to open it in a new window.

NBC 5 is not showing the video because we have not received permission from its creator, but the school confirmed it did originate from one of its classrooms.

The 19-second video appears to have been posted on a social media app. In it, three students are seen at the front of the classroom playing Hangman, a word game won by finding missing letters. The last four letters of a six-letter word are already displayed when a student fills in the first letter “N” before quickly erasing it.

In a letter sent to parents Thursday, the school said the incident happened last week and that administrators became aware of it late Monday. The school added the teacher was unaware the incident had occurred.

Evans emphasized that “serious disciplinary measures” were handed out but did not specify what actions were taken against either the students or the teacher involved.

“John Paul II High School does not condone these students’ actions and will not allow any discriminatory remarks, threats, or behaviors on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, nationality or disability,” Evans said.

The incident marks the second in as many weeks racially derogatory language caught on video in a North Texas classroom.

Last week, the superintendent in Fort Worth ISD recommended a teacher be fired for allowing a student to use the “n-word” nine times during a classroom presentation at R.L. Paschal High School.

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