Arlington teacher relieved of classroom duties after racially insensitive George Floyd lesson question

ARLINGTON, Va. - An Arlington Public School teacher has been relieved of classroom duties after officials say they used racially insensitive learning material during a lesson.

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School officials say a teacher at H-B Woodlawn referenced the killing of George Floyd earlier this week during an assignment question. In a report online, The Washington Post says the question asked by the teacher read, "George Floyd couldn't breathe because a police officer put his (blank) George's neck." The answer to the question was the chemical element "neon," the report said.

In a statement, Superintendent Dr. Francisco Durán said that the teacher referenced Floyd's death "in an unacceptable and senseless way, which hurt and alarmed our students, staff, families, and the community. The reference showed extremely poor judgement and a blatant disregard for African American lives."

Durán said the incident violated the core values of the school system. "I applaud our students who spoke up and the quick response by the principal and staff to address this matter directly by issuing a statement, arranging to meet with staff and students, and working with the entire school community to process the incident," he added.