Social Justice
Georgia school founder sends apology to MSNBC for racial remark
The founder of an alternative school in Georgia issued an apology Saturday after videos circulated on social media shocked her making racist remarks.
The founder of an alternative school in Georgia issued an apology Saturday after videos went viral on social media showed her making a racially-charged remark during the school’s graduation ceremony.
The incident
The audience at TNT Academy’s commencement ceremony on Friday was shocked when the school’s founder, Nancy Gordeuk, criticized some people for leaving the event early, the video shows.
The confusion initially started when Gordeuk accidentally ended the ceremony without allowing the valedictorian to make their speech.
When she became aware of her mistake, she asked all the graduating seniors to come back inside the hall for the final speech.
By this point most of the people had already left their seats and were headed to their cars. That’s when a frustrated Gordeuk took to the mic and announced:
“Look who’s leaving — all the black people.”
That’s when the crowd erupted in anger and left.
Georgia School founder apology
Gordeuk has issued an apology to MSNBC. She told NBC News that she inadvertently skipped the Valedictorian’s speech, and the crowd became disruptive when he was given the chance to deliver his remarks. “When I looked up all I saw was black families leaving, and thus the comment,” she said.
“Frustrated with the prospect of ruining the once-in-a-lifetime ceremony the graduates have worked so hard for, my emotions got the best of me and that is when I blurted out ‘you people are being so rude to not listen to this speech,'” Gordeuk wrote in an apology letter. “I deeply apologize for my actions made in the emotional state of trying to let this last student finish his speech,” she wrote.
I’m not sure if the apology is good enough considering the apparent passion and anger in her voice when she made that statement. Many people are calling for her to be fired. But being she’s the founder of the school, I’m not sure how that will happened.
Considering in the past that students have alleged that the school, and it’s founder hold disparaging views towards people of color, I think it’s time for those parents to take their children out.
Update: Gordeuk has been fired
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