Joe Biden Interview With BET’s Ed Gordon On Black Issues To Air July 17
The 30-minute, one-on-one interview will air July 17.
President Joe Biden will discuss issues affecting the Black community during a one-on-one interview special with BET News’ Ed Gordon, set to air on July 17. The special, Black America Votes: The Biden Interview, fits in with BET’s larger We Vote campaign, which is aimed at increasing civic engagement and voter participation among Black Americans.
According to a BET press release, “In this critical stage of his re-election campaign, President Biden will sit down with award-winning journalist Ed Gordon for his first on-camera interview on BET and speak directly to Black America. The conversation will focus on critical issues impacting our community and discuss why Black Americans should continue to support his candidacy amidst growing public concerns and calls for him to withdraw.
“At this crucial moment, it is imperative for President Biden to directly address the concerns of Black voters and articulate his vision for the future. This exclusive half-hour special will discuss the growing concern over President Biden’s fitness for office, the state of the economy for Black families, the Project 2025 conservative policy agenda, and the fight to engage Black voters.”
Although this is the first time Biden has utilized BET to speak directly to the concerns of everyday Black Americans, it is not the first time he has sought out Black reporters to assuage doubts about his mental acuity. However, an interview conducted with Philadelphia-based WURD Radio became mired in controversy when it was revealed that the Biden campaign submitted pre-authorized questions which the host asked on the show, a compromise of journalistic integrity.
According to The Hill, during the week of July 8, the station announced that host Andrea Lawful-Sanders and WURD “mutually agreed to part ways, effective immediately” before saying that the host had basically gone rogue. Lawful-Sanders, according to the station, arranged the interview “without knowledge, consultation or collaboration with WURD management.”
The BET interview, it should be noted, does not appear to be in the same vein as the interviews conducted by WURD Radio and another outlet in Wisconsin, which also received a set of pre-approved questions from the Biden campaign. The BET News special will be 30 minutes long, and according to the press release, BET will be releasing clips and an interview transcript at a later date.
Judge Mathis Slams ‘Dishonest’ Trump’s Treatment of Black Voters
Mathis did not hold back.
Judge Greg Mathis shared his concerns over the “dishonest” Donald Trump and his disrespect toward Black voters prior to Saturday afternoon’s assassination attempt on the former president.
In an interview with theGrio released on July 11, Mathis did not hold back on his Trump criticism, emphasizing the need to stop the presidential candidate from returning to the White House.
“Our biggest objective is not to allow Donald Trump to be reelected,” Mathis, 64, said. “I think he is adverse to the interests of poor people. And I think he’s dishonest and, quite frankly, [that] he’s one step from a full-blown con man.”
Mathis also thinks Trump already exposed his negative feelings toward the Black community. He mentioned the former president’s statement on Black people relating to his 34 felony convictions. He also included Trump’s comment on “Black jobs” made during the June 28 debate.
“I mean, a man tells you that he identifies with you because you are a criminal,” shared Mathis. “That should be an insult. Selling gym shoes to Black men because you think they’re into gym shoes more than policy. That’s an insult. The other night, he suggested that the jobs that we have [are] low-level sub-wage jobs in America, when he said that the immigrants are coming to take Black jobs.”
While Mathis is not forcing anyone’s vote, he believes Trump’s inadequacy remains evident. He highlighted the diminished budget for the Department of Urban Housing and Development, a move that mainly impacted Black Americans.
Meanwhile, Mathis did not fully endorse President Joe Biden either. Like many, Mathis was concerned by his abysmal debate performance.
“I’m not as troubled by the stumbles as I am by the lack of policy that we should be hearing,” said the judge. “I didn’t hear them talk about crime and policing, which, we are affected by both things: one, by crime in the neighborhood and second, by abuse and policing of our neighborhood. And I didn’t hear anything about training for AI.”
However, Mathis believes Vice President Kamala Harris could carry the torch if Biden were to step down.
“If there’s not a new candidate, God forbid, anything to happen to President Biden over the next four years, we have a great candidate in the vice president, in my opinion,” he said. “I know we’re tempted to go in a different direction, but until we have a direction that’s feasible for a victory, we just gotta stay strong.”
Oldest Black Town In America In Danger Of Being Washed Away By Floods
The land was allocated to Black people in the 19th century because it was considered too flood-prone by whites.
Princeville, North Carolina, the oldest town founded by Black people in America, is currently at a crossroads due to a convergence of climate change, disaster, and disinvestment. The land, initially allocated to Black people in the 19th century because it was considered too flood-prone by whites, now presents residents with two choices: Stay and continue facing potential flooding each hurricane season, or relocate to safer areas.
According to Fast Company, 2016’s Hurricane Matthew dealt the town a blow it’s still struggling to recover from. Following the hurricane, the town’s residents were presented with a few options: staying on the land, taking government buyouts to relocate families, or attempting to move the entire town to higher ground. However, a lack of funding and disagreements among the town’s leaders resulted in no action being taken as residents slowly left despite its rich and storied history.
Although the town eventually received millions from Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to rebuild on higher ground, a project by the Army Corps of Engineers to repair the levees has stalled, making relocation even more appealing to those who can afford it.
This situation makes some of the residents’ attachment to the town seem questionable, even the town’s mayor, Bobbie Jones, flatly told Grist in 2016 that he was uninterested in a solution that involved moving the town. “We’re open to expansion, but we are not going to leave.”
Jones also explained to the Washington Post in January why those who choose to stay are so determined: “They say, ‘This is who we are. This is sacred ground. Our forefathers shed blood, sweat, and tears here.'”
According to Grist, “Princeville is caught between rebuilding and retreating, unable to bring all its residents back but also unable to convince them all to move somewhere safer and more stable. Disasters like those brought by Hurricane Matthew don’t lead to complete rebuilds or complete retreats. Instead they condemn towns like Princeville to a kind of indefinite limbo, trapping them between the future and the past.”
This is evidenced by the over decade-long stalemate the Army Corps has been mired in. Meanwhile, the town has steadily lost residents who lack faith that the government will act in time to save their homes or lives in the event of another so-called “100-year flood.” This term is meant to describe a rare event, but as recent disasters like Hurricane Harvey in Houston have shown, these floods are occurring more frequently.
Though Jones is firmly against buyouts, some community members accepted them due to concerns about the town’s ability to withstand another massive flood. In a way, FEMA hedged its bets by funding both the rebuilding of homes and offering buyout funds for those who wished to leave. These contradictory efforts reflected the residents’ divisions.
According to Amanda Martin, the chief resilience officer in the North Carolina Office of Recovery and Resiliency, it has been impossible to coordinate a unified response in the years post-Matthew.
“After Floyd, it was seen much more as ‘one or the other’ between the [levee] and the buyouts, but the situation is a little bit more complicated this time around. These decisions are being made by so many different people, with so many different funding sources,” Martin told Grist. ”We don’t have the tools or the framework to make them as interdependent kinds of decisions. No one’s able to make a decision that’s informed by anything other than what they have right in front of them.”
Calvin Adkins, a lifelong resident of the town, summed up his frustration with those who are allowing sentimentality to interfere with practicality.
“I don’t want to go through another flood. The anticipation of knowing or not knowing if it’s going to flood, it’s devastating” Adkins told Grist in 2022. “That doesn’t take away from my love for Princeville. I love Princeville, but I gotta love me better.”
Republican National Convention Heads To Milwaukee Amid Criticism From Trump and GOP
Trump called the city 'horrible' as recently as June.
Although Republican Party frontrunner Donald Trump and many Wisconsin Republicans have been critical of Milwaukee for years, the party is now preparing to descend on the city for the Republican National Convention July 15.
Despite calling the city “horrible” as recently as June and surviving a recent assassination attempt, Trump will speak at the convention.
According to NBC News, Trump has also denied that he said Milwaukee was a horrible city, telling Fox News that he was referring to its crime statistics. “We’re very concerned with crime. I love Milwaukee. I have great friends in Milwaukee. But it’s, as you know, the crime numbers are terrible,” Trump said “I was referring to also the election, the ballots, the, the way it went down. It was very bad in Milwaukee. Very, very bad.”
Even if you take Trump’s claim at face value, the second claim was conclusively disproven by a firm his campaign hired to investigate alleged voter fraud in the 2020 election. The campaign’s efforts to prove election fraud focused on Milwaukee and Madison, two overwhelmingly Democratic cities. Trump’s first claim could reasonably be seen as another in a long list of racist comments he has made, especially since, according to Data USA, Milwaukee is a majority-minority city.
According to The Guardian, Sen. LaTonya Johnson, a Democrat who represents Milwaukee, said in an interview that Republicans, including Trump, often target the city because of its makeup.
“What he said about Milwaukee being a horrible city is just one of many fabrications that the former president has made up. When people get on the ground here, they’ll see that this is a great city,” Mayor Cavalier Johnson said per NBC news. “It’s also home to thousands of Republican voters who have called Milwaukee home for some time, who raised their kids and their grandkids here, who are vital members of our society. He called their home horrible. I think it was a little bizarre for him to do, and just another in a long string of lies.”
Wisconsin Republican Party Chairman Brian Schmming, meanwhile, couldn’t refrain from taking a dig at Milwaukee and other cities run by Democrats as he told the Associated Press that he hoped the RNC highlighted the positive aspects of the city that “like many other Democrat-run cities…has extraordinarily significant issues.”
Some protesters have decried Milwaukee’s decision to host the convention due to its solid support for the Democratic Party. But Mayor Johnson, a Democrat, has wholeheartedly embraced the city’s role as host for the RNC.
“The thing to me is that the Republican nominee is going to be nominated somewhere,” Johnson told Wisconsin Public Radio. “So what better way for us to be able to realize our ambitions for growth than to have a national political convention that’s going to be watched the world over come to Milwaukee.”
President of Morehouse College To Retire Next Year
Thomas says the HBCU needs "fresh" leadership.
Morehouse College will soon begin its search for a new president. David Thomas has announced his retirement effective at the end of the upcoming school year.
Thomas will officially step down from his role at the all-men’s HBCU in June 2025, as reported by 11Alive. Appointed in 2018, Thomas believes it is time for “fresh” leadership at the institution.
“After countless hours of reflection, I believe Morehouse’s future potential requires new leadership,” he shared in a statement to the school. “The next president will inherit a robust platform from which to build an agenda and vision that will accelerate and enhance the positive trajectory of the College.”
He added, “Serving as president of Morehouse has been the honor of a lifetime. The best moment for a leadership transition is when an institution is strong, and the building blocks are in place to achieve its vision. I believe that time is now, and new leadership can bring fresh eyes, energy, and perspective to address challenges and discover new opportunities.”
During Thomas’ tenure, Morehouse increased its enrollment to 2,200, a 500-person increase from when the 67-year-old started. Its endowment has also doubled to $280 million, with a $170 million project underway to revitalize the campus.
Among many other HBCUs, Morehouse’s number of applicants has also risen, reaching a record of 3,600 this past year. However, Thomas’ reign also had its own controversies. The school faced criticism for inviting President Joe Biden to speak at this year’s commencement due to his handling of the Israel-Hamas war. Despite numerous calls by students and faculty to rescind the offer, Biden spoke in May.
Nevertheless, Thomas is championed for his work at Morehouse. The school itself boasts alumni such as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Spike Lee. In their response to his retirement, the HBCU praised Thomas and his impact on the school’s overall growth.
“With over 30 years in higher education informing his vision, Dr. Thomas’s time in office has positioned Morehouse to exert even more profound influence in the 21st Century,” shared the school in a statement.
Morehouse’s Board of Trustees will embark on finding the next leader. Thomas will stay involved at the college as member of its faculty.
Jacoby Jones, a former standout kick returner and wide receiver for the Baltimore Ravens, Houston Texans, San Diego (LA) Chargers, and the Pittsburgh Steelers died in his sleep on July 14. He was 40 years old. No cause of death has been announced at the time of writing.
“Jacoby had the unique ability to connect with everyone he encountered, the Baltimore Ravens said in a statement. “His charisma, joy and love created a one-of-a-kind presence that could light up any room or brighten any dark day. Jacoby will long be remembered not just for his success on the football field, but for the lasting personal connections he made with countless people in the Ravens organization, Baltimore community and every area he called home. We share our deepest condolences with Jacoby’s family as we all begin to process this devastating loss.”
My brother! I thank God for the memories and your impact on this world. You were 1 of 1 ! Your play on the field and jokes will live on forever! We have Momma Jones a Lil Coby’s back for life! This one hurt me man! We are going to miss you!
As The Athletic reports, Jones turned 40 on July 11. He was selected by the Houston Texans in the third round of the 2007 NFL draft after attending Lane College. Jones played the first five years of his career in Houston before being released in 2012. From there, Jones signed with the Baltimore Ravens. That season, he became the first player to return two kickoffs for 105 yards or longer in the same season.
Despite his contributions in the 2013 Super Bowl, ironically, that’s not the play Raven fans cherish most from Jones. In a 2023 interview with The Athletic, Jones mentioned that the “Mile High Miracle,” his connection with Joe Flacco during the 2013 NFL playoffs for a 70-yard touchdown that forced overtime and led to a Ravens victory, is the play he is most frequently reminded of.
Before his death, Jones had agreed to become the offensive coordinator for the Beaumont Renegades of the American Football League. Sam Gordon, the GM of the Renegades told The Athletic that Jones was an exceptional human being.
“Jacoby was a God-fearing man who loved his friends and if there were words I could use to describe who he was he was loyal and dedicated to all of us, Gordon said. “If you called, he’d answer. If you needed him somewhere, he would show up.”
Florida Mom Arrested After Inciting Riot At Skating Rink
The riot ensued after the Florida business cancelled a birthday party for Stephanie Pedroso's 18-year-old daughter.
A woman in Tampa, Florida, was arrested for inciting a riot involving hundreds of people outside of a skating rink.
The issue ensued after the business cancelled a party. WTSP reports staff at Astro Skate decided to cancel an 18th birthday party for Stephanie Pedroso’s daughter in May. They stated that due to the growing number of those invited, it would be unable to accommodate such a crowd. According to law enforcement, the Tampa-based skating rink refunded Pedroso, who also breached contract by failing to hire police for the event, which was not a kids’ party.
“The kind of stuff with a booty contest, and all that nonsense, that’s not for us, so we were within our rights to cancel her party and that’s what we did,” detailed Maganias to the news outlet. “She came in, flipped out, cussed, and screamed and posted nonsense about [coming] to the skating rink the next night.”
According to police, Pedroso, 36, went on her daughter’s Instagram, encouraging others to join her riot and “confront” law enforcement.
“For y’all, if y’all still go up there, tear the f*** out of them. I’ve got some money for y’all, and I’ll pay y’all a**,” she alleged said in the video.
Between 400 and 500 people showed up on May 18 to join Pedroso. The participants damaged surrounding businesses, with over $1,500 in damages. A 16-year-old was also injured after allegedly being thrown into the glass window of a nearby barber shop.
The mom was later arrested by Hillsborough County police for starting the riot. Twenty-six others, the majority being minors, were also detained. Pedroso’s charges included unlawful use of a two-way communications device and driving with a suspended license.
“Using social media to weaponize our youth is absolutely deplorable,” County Sheriff Chad Chronister said at a press conference held on July 11. “As a parent, I cannot fathom what went through this woman’s mind when she put lives at risk to provoke this mayhem.”
He reiterated, “I want to be clear: Using social media to encourage people to riot and destroy businesses is completely unacceptable, and we will not tolerate that here in Hillsborough County. This is a stark reminder of how quickly situations can spiral out of control and shows the importance of responsible behavior and the consequences of inciting violence.”
If found guilty of inciting a riot, Pedroso could receive a five-year jail sentence due to stricter Florida laws.
Political Leaders Condemn Trump Rally Shooting, Call For Civility
'There is no place for this type of violence in America,' said President Joe Biden.
After the assassination attempt on presumptive Republican Party nominee, Donald Trump, at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, political leaders swiftly condemned the act and urged for civility in politics. Despite some questioning on social media about the nature of the incident, the shooting has raised significant concerns about security.
According to The Grio, President Joe Biden spoke to Trump over the phone on July 13, and issued a statement calling for the condemnation of the shooting. “There is no place for this type of violence in America,” Biden said, before adding he was “grateful” that Trump, who looked to be have been injured on his ear, “is safe and doing well.” Biden followed up by saying “Everybody must condemn it.”
Vice President Kamala Harris struck a similar tone in her own statement, and called for everyone to ensure that violence does not beget more violence. “Violence such as this has no place in our nation. We must all condemn this abhorrent act and do our part to ensure that it does not lead to more violence,” she said in a statement.
Independent presidential candidate Cornel West, who was in Las Vegas for the Freedom Fest, told The Grio that his Christian faith compelled him to pray for Trump, and called to renounce violence against not only Trump, but oppressed peoples and religious groups.
“I am a Christian. I am praying for the brother and his family. All of us need to renounce language and acts of violence, especially against Black people, especially against Palestinians, especially against Muslims, Jews and anybody else,” West said.
According to The Grio, the shooting has prompted security concerns concerning both major party candidates. A former high-ranking Secret Service official told the outlet that security at the White House would “absolutely” be “enhanced” following the shooting. A former Secret Service agent, meanwhile, told the outlet that they believed someone would be fired in the aftermath.
“The question [is] how did a gun get in that close to a protectee?” They added, “Someone will be fired!”
According to The New York Times, the FBI is investigating the shooting carried out by a 20-year-old man named Thomas Crooks. Investigators are trying to ascertain whether or not Crooks was a lone wolf, what his motivations were, and how he came into possession of a semi-automatic rifle and materials for multiple explosive devices.
This is a moment where all of us have a responsibility to take down the temperature, rise above the hateful rhetoric that exists, and search for a better, brighter future for this nation.
I ask that you join Lori and me in prayer for the two Pennsylvanians still in critical… pic.twitter.com/XjYP5QstId
— Governor Josh Shapiro (@GovernorShapiro) July 14, 2024
A firefighter and a father of two, Corey Comperatore was shot and killed at the event, as was Crooks, the gunman. At a news conference, Gov. Josh Shapiro, the Governor of Pennsylvania called the shooting unacceptable. “The assassination attempt on the former president, Donald Trump, last night was absolutely unacceptable and tragic.” At the news conference, Shapiro also called for leaders to speak and act with moral clarity.
“This is a moment where all leaders have a responsibility to speak, and act, with moral clarity,” before adding that leaders should “rise above the hateful rhetoric that exists.” He added his prayers for those who were injured, which included Trump, and the family of Comperatore. “We need to make sure that Corey’s memory is forever a blessing,” Shapiro said.
Black Powerhouses Discuss Key Strategies To Invest In Black Community During ForbesBLK Summit 2024
Black celebs and entrepreneurs dropped several gems on how to invest in Black capital, Black community, and DEI during the ForbesBLK Summit.
The second annual ForbesBLK Summit in Atlanta brought together a diverse array of entrepreneurs, business leaders, athletes, and entertainers to inspire Black entrepreneurs and executives. According to Forbes, the three-day event, held from June 23-25, focused on strategies for investing in the Black community, with attendees gaining valuable insights on raising capital, product ownership, financial literacy, and advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).
Importance of Mentorship in Raising Capital
Kneeland Youngblood, CEO of Pharos Capital Group, shared his journey to success, emphasizing the importance of perseverance and seeking mentorship. He encouraged Black entrepreneurs to approach potential investors, regardless of their status. Sharing his story meeting the late Richard Rainwater, he said, “If this man, who went from $20 million to $12 billion, took the time to meet with me and help me, then he must see something in me that I don’t see in myself.”
Youngblood stressed the significance of connecting with investors interested in their ideas, like billionaires David Bonderman and Michael Milken, who provided him with initial capital.
Investment Principal Bukie Adebo echoed these sentiments, highlighting three qualities that excite her in founders seeking capital: deep industry knowledge, challenging insights, and genuine customer understanding. Derek Smith of Plug In Ventures advised Black entrepreneurs to showcase their “secret sauce” when pursuing venture capital.
"Finding your purpose, finding your drive, your ambition—you can sustain yourself…you have to be willing to persevere."
Fantasia Barrino-Taylor And Kirk Franklin On Owning The Product
At the ForbesBLK Summit, entertainment industry veterans, including American Idol star Fantasia Barrino-Taylor and gospel icon Kirk Franklin, delivered powerful testimonials. Both emphasized their experiences as Black entrepreneurs in the music business, highlighting the importance of financial literacy and product ownership.
Barrino-Taylor candidly discussed her journey, recounting how she twice lost everything due to a lack of financial knowledge. As BLACK ENTERPRISE previously reported, The Color Purple actress opened up in 2023 about the struggles she faced following her rise to fame. She confessed her initial naivety regarding contractual intricacies and financial management, acknowledging she lacked the knowledge to secure her fair share of earnings. This experience motivated her to become more financially savvy and independent.
During the ForbesBLK Summit, she emphasized the importance of continuous learning for Black entrepreneurs and that her motivation extends beyond personal success, as she aims to create opportunities and empower others in her Black community.
Franklin similarly urged Black entrepreneurs to prioritize product ownership as he appeared for a ForbesBLK Summit fireside chat. Franklin shared his own experience of starting in the music industry with a focus on craft rather than business acumen. The Grammy-winning artist recounted how his career catapulted with his 1990 composition “Joy” for the Georgia Mass Choir, but his business naivety led to signing away rights unknowingly. He shared the lesson to urge aspiring Black entrepreneurs to prioritize business acumen alongside artistic talent.
Promoting Financial Literacy Among Black Students
Young entrepreneurs Caden Harris and Zoe Oli shared their experiences in building successful businesses focused on financial literacy and empowerment during the ForbesBLK Summit. Harris, Caden Teaches CEO, aims to teach financial literacy to over 500,000 children. “I was able to start this journey with a $200 investment and turn it into a six-figure business,” said the young entrepreneur.
Oli, Beautiful Curly Me CEO, plans to impact a million girls through her product line and social impact projects. “I am working on speaking, as well as launching in retail, and a girls confidence course and a girls empowerment club that’s going to be reaching schools soon,” Oli said. Through her initiative, Youth Mean Business, Oli has established a growth accelerator that’s fueling the ambitions of pre-teen and teenage entrepreneurs, providing crucial capital and resources to help these young visionaries scale their ventures.
Anthony Brock, the visionary behind Montgomery’s Valiant Cross Academy, has crafted an educational haven celebrating the brilliance of young Black boys. His faith-infused curriculum aims to nurture a profound sense of self-worth and cultural pride in these budding leaders.
Fighting For DEI And A Plan For Underrepresentation
During the ForbesBLK Summit, voting rights activist Stacey Abrams emphasized that DEI has existed for over 240 years, contrary to recent narratives. She stated, “If we do not have access, if we do not have diversity in our process, if we do not have inclusion for all, then we do not have a real opportunity for the American dream.” Abrams encouraged people of color to engage in local and state elections to effect change.
Erica Bolden of Mercedes-Benz USA spoke about improving diversity beyond traditional hiring practices, while Ayana Parsons, co-founder of the Fearless Fund, highlighted the need for Black people to acquire more money and power. Dr. Sesha Joi Moon, former Chief Diversity Officer in the U.S. House of Representatives, urged the Black community to remain proactive and united in their efforts to advance DEI.
Ryan Williams, founder of Cadre, emphasized the importance of showcasing Black excellence to counter negative narratives. “We have to fight with examples of Black excellence because we are seeing examples of Black ignorance and incompetence every single day by the enemy,” Williams said.
High School Teacher Bashed For Including Racist ‘Pimp Walk’ Gene Test Question
The test included a question surrounding a 'pimp walk' gene attributed to Black students.
A high school teacher in Sacramento, California, faces backlash for a racist and discriminatory biology test. One of the questions detailed a Black student hypothetically having a “pimp walk” gene.
On June 12, Alex Nguyen administered an unusual biology exam ahead of the last day of school. While the final covered human reproduction, it verged into explicit and racist questions that listed many students at Luther Burbank High School by their names.
In one question, Nguyen stated that Black culture influenced the school’s student body “for some reason.” According to his logic, this culture also includes a “pimp walk” gene that could be potentially inherited.
“For some reason, the African American culture has influenced most of the student body,” read the question, as reported by The Sacramento Bee. “How? In African Americans, they have a gene for the pimp walk, which is dominant. What is the result if you cross (student name) homozygous dominant Latina with a homozygous recessive Hmong like (student name)?”
The exam’s offensive nature extended to others as well. One question referred to students with certain traits, such as having crossed eyes, as “weirdoes.”
“In high school, there are individuals who are cross-eyed like [name redacted] and [name redacted], which is a dominant trait,” the question stated. “We call those individuals ‘weirdoes’ [sic]. So, if you crossed two weirdoes [sic] that are heterozygous for being cross-eyed, what is the offspring that would result?”
Multiple classes saw the exam until students reported the issue to administrators. Despite the school’s principal, Jim Peterson, collecting the physical copies, students in the next period also took the test with a projector displaying the questions.
“On one hand, it’s laughable with its grotesquely poor reasoning, and on the other hand very racist,” shared Chris Zamora, a fellow teacher at the high school. “That somebody felt so confident in their racism, so confident with memorializing their racism this way into written words on an exam, is incredible to me.”
However, Nguyen faced racism and discrimination accusations before. He allegedly called a Black student “boy” while also not accommodating students with learning disabilities. He was placed on administrative leave in light of this most recent incident.
In the aftermath, Peterson has apologized to parents whose children dealt with the racist and offensive material. However, students and their families await more accountability from Nguyen himself.
