Cy-Fair ISD teacher on furlough after slavery class allegations

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A Cy-Fair ISD teacher is on leave while the district investigates an allegation that the teacher singled out the only black student in the class during a lesson on slavery.

A parent also complained that the same teacher told students the Confederate flag had nothing to do with slavery in a separate lesson.

Tori Ards said her daughter called her on March 30, saying her history teacher at Kahla Middle School told her class that history was wrong about the Confederate flag.

“It affects him tremendously and of course therefore it affects me,” Ards said in a broadcast by Chronicle press partner ABC13. “She’s in gifted and talented classes, she’s a student athlete, she’s never had a disciplinary sanction.”

Ards declined to speak to the Chronicle after the broadcast, saying she was seeking legal representation.

Cy-Fair ISD said the teacher would not be allowed on the Kahla Middle School campus while the investigation is ongoing.

We have been made aware of allegations involving a member of staff and inappropriate role-playing during a social studies lesson, Kahla Middle School Principal Joshua Carroll said in a statement sent to parents. We look forward to a speedy resolution of this matter and remain committed to providing a respectful, safe and supportive learning environment for our students.

The district declined a request to speak with the teacher, and the teacher could not be reached by phone.

Ards’ family joined Candice Matthews, an activist with the Texas Coalition of Black Democrats, Quanell X of New Black Panther Nation in Houston, and Sledge Leonidas with Houston Caribbean Professionals to speak publicly about the child’s experience at a a press conference last week.

After reporting the Confederate flag comment to Kahla Middle School’s 8th grade vice-principal, Nydia Garcia, Ards’ daughter reported that the following Monday, the same teacher used her as an example for a lesson on the Fugitive Slave Law, Matthews said. She said Ards’ daughter was the only black student in the class.

She used the only young African-American woman who was in their class, who I might add is not a troubled kid and doesn’t have a difficult record in that class, Matthews said. She used it and brought it to the front of the room and said she would have taken that child to the South and sold it.

Matthews said more Kahla Middle School students reached out to her after the lecture, reporting similar experiences in the same class.

It had a mental effect on this young woman and also on the family,” Matthews said. “It’s unacceptable.

Matthews said if a teacher targets a student based on race, regardless of the consequences, it could embolden others to do the same.

At this point, we demand that this teacher be fired and never be with children again, Matthews said. Racism has no place in our schools.

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