A Houston-area school district has disciplined several teachers after a student received a mock award naming her “most likely to become a terrorist”.
Certificates given to the 13-year-old girl and other students were supposed to be lighthearted, but the Channelview Independent School District issued a statement apologising for the “insensitive and offensive fake mock awards”.
The girl’s mother, Ena Hernandez, says she was upset by the certificate given to her daughter, particularly in light of the recent attack in Manchester.
Channelview spokesman Mark Kramer told KPRC-TV in Houston that the certificates were a “poor attempt to poke fun”. The news has been widely met with shock and outrage.
So some adults thought this would be light-hearted and funny. I'm so baffled at the thought processes of some people. https://t.co/T3o8a8Mvln
— Abbie Amiotte (@AbbieAmiotte) May 26, 2017
How, in ANY WAY, could ANYONE deem this "lighthearted" and "an attempt to poke fun"??!! https://t.co/Tjs2zedKVm
— Caroline (@CarCar923) May 26, 2017
And these are the so called educators teaching our children. Incidents like these are why people say "there's no hope for the future" https://t.co/4SgIOX72Nr
— Tobias Peña (@Elgringo1213) May 26, 2017
The district declined to disclose the punishment the teachers received.