Skip to content
CapRadio

CapRadio

listen live donate
listen live donate
listen live
donate
  • News
    • News

    • State Government
    • Environment
    • Health Care
    • Race and Equity
    • Business
    • Arts and Lifestyle
    • Food and Sustainability
    • PolitiFact California
    News
    • News

    • State Government
    • Environment
    • Health Care
    • Race and Equity
    • Business
    • Arts and Lifestyle
    • Food and Sustainability
    • PolitiFact California
  • Music
    • Music

    • Classical
    • Jazz
    • Eclectic

    • Daily Playlist
    Music
    • Music

    • Classical
    • Jazz
    • Eclectic

    • Daily Playlist
  • Podcasts & Shows
  • Schedules
  • Events
  • Support
    • Support
    • Ways to support
    • Evergreen Donation
    • One-Time Donation
    • Corporate Sponsorship
    • Vehicle Donation
    • Stock Giving
    • Legacy Giving
    • Endowment Support
    • Members
    • Member Benefits
    • Member FAQ
    • Member Newsletter

    • Fund drives
    • Drawing Winners
    • Thank You Gifts
    Support
    • Support
    • Ways to support
    • Evergreen Donation
    • One-Time Donation
    • Corporate Sponsorship
    • Vehicle Donation
    • Stock Giving
    • Legacy Giving
    • Endowment Support
    • Members
    • Member Benefits
    • Member FAQ
    • Member Newsletter

    • Fund drives
    • Drawing Winners
    • Thank You Gifts
  • About
  • Close Menu

Sacramento Spanish Teacher Recorded Allegedly Using Racial Slurs In Class. Now, Community Organizers Are Demanding She Be Fired

  •  A.V. Benford 
Friday, July 2, 2021 | Sacramento, CA
A.V. Benford / CapRadio

Students and local organizers hold a press conference July 1, 2021, demanding the immediate removal of a Kit Carson International Academy Spanish teacher who was recorded allegedly using the n-word and defending her use of it.

A.V. Benford / CapRadio

Berry Accius wants you to know one thing: a Sacramento teacher using the n-word is not a one-time incident. 

“We are no longer letting this slide. She must be fired,” Accius, the founder of Voices of the Youth, said at a Thursday press conference.

Students and organizers at a Thursday protest demanded the immediate removal of Kit Carson International Academy Spanish teacher Katherine Sanders after she was recorded allegedly using the n-word, and defending her use of it. The action was organized by Accius’ Voice of the Youth and the African American Advisory Board [AAAB] of the Sacramento City Unified School District. 

District Superintendent Jorge A. Aguliar said in a statement that Sanders has been removed from “working with our students,” pending the outcome of an investigation. She is still employed by the district.

Gathered in an ever-expanding semi-circle under the cover of shade trees, community organizers gathered to press the district to move with purpose, urgency and public transparency when dealing with the teacher. 

The AAAB also put forth additional demands for SCUSD including district-wide zero tolerance policy with regard to racist rhetoric and hate speech, a culturally responsive support team, and to remove the opt out of the current anti-bias and anti-racist professional development. Organizers said that the option to opt out allows teachers to start coming but not finish the program over time.    

Noah Razo, a 15-year-old student at Kit Carson, was one the bravest souls in Sacramento on Thursday. Wearing a black hoodie, faded jeans, and classic Vans skateboard shoes, the 10th grader spoke out publicly about his interactions with Sanders when he was in her class during 7th grade.

He said the teacher used to use “the n-word with the hard ‘r’” often.

“She just said it regularly with a normal tone, like it was a normal thing to say.” Razo said. He added that she used other words like “the b-word, and that's discriminatory towards Mexican and Latinos like myself.”

Razo continued: “I felt very hurt, because it’s been used to be discriminatory… I think it is time for a change, and it is time for this to end.”

Razo said when students heard the teacher use derogatory language “people were shocked. People were afraid to stand up and say ‘Hey!’” 

But he added “I’m sure I’m not the first” to speak up.

Lorraine Pryor, President and CEO of the Black Leadership Project, said there are larger implications of the teacher’s purported actions. 

“It’s not a head issue, it’s a heart issue,” Pryor said. “Either believe these children or you don’t. Either you care about them or you don’t, and your language ultimately shows your heart. And her heart was foul. And so we will not sit up and accept any more apologies. We want action.”

District Superintendent Jorge A. Aguliar attended the rally in a show of solidarity with family and community members.A.V. Benford / CapRadio

Superintendent Aguilar, who attended the rally with his three children and several faculty members of Kit Carson in a show of solidarity with family and community members, was forceful in his response. 

“Let me be clear, this is a conversation that has to take place. It requires a lot of courage,” Aguilar said. “We have to be able to have these conversations. What happened at Kit Carson is not going to be condoned. It is not going to be tolerated. We’ve begun to take action. We have begun an investigation. 

When asked on the spot if the teacher will be fired, Aguilar said that “this is a personnel matter, therefore I can't comment... But I want to be clear that I stand in solidarity. I come as a father. I come as a community member. This is the school my kids are pre-registered to attend.” 

Despite Aguilar’s response, Accius, the organizer of action Pushed for a more firm answer.

Aguilar reiterated the district’s prepared statement: “We have initiated an investigation that’s looking into allegations that we have learned about that go beyond the incident that occurred a couple of weeks ago. To the extent that the investigation confirms any of the allegations, then we will take appropriate actions.” 


Follow us for more stories like this

CapRadio provides a trusted source of news because of you.  As a nonprofit organization, donations from people like you sustain the journalism that allows us to discover stories that are important to our audience. If you believe in what we do and support our mission, please donate today.

Donate Today  

    Related Content

  • A.V. Benford / CapRadio

    Sacramento City Unified starts process to fire middle school teacher who used racial slurs in class

    Thursday, January 27, 2022
    The initiation of the process follows Sacramento City Unified hiring a race and equity liaison to investigate racist incidents. Advocates say the incident itself reflects broader cultural problems in the district that remain unaddressed.
  • Bob Moffitt / Capital Public Radio

    Sacramento City Unified appoints the school district’s first race and equity liaison

    Tuesday, January 25, 2022
    The district has appointed civil rights attorney Mark Harris to oversee investigations of racist incidents at Kit Carson Academy and West Campus High School.
  • A.V. Benford / CapRadio

    Sacramento City Teacher’s Use Of N-Word Sparks Debate About Anti-Racist Training

    Thursday, July 15, 2021
    A Sacramento City school teacher was recorded using racial slurs in the classroom. But one question from organizers still lingers: In a district that has mandatory anti-bias training for teachers, how could this incident happen?
  • Race and Equity
  •  

 EducationSacramento City Unified School District

A.V. Benford

Former Education Reporter

A.V. Benford was a Report For America Corp Member and an Education Reporter for CapRadio News and The Sacramento Observer.  Read Full Bio 

Sign up for ReCap and never miss the top stories

Delivered to your inbox every Friday.

 

Check out a sample ReCap newsletter.

Thanks for subscribing!

Thank you for signing up for the ReCap newsletter! We'll send you an email each Friday with the top stories from CapRadio.

Browse all newsletters
 We Get Support From:
Become a Supporter 
 We Get Support From:
Become a Supporter 

Back to Top

  • CapRadio

    7055 Folsom Boulevard
    Sacramento, CA 95826-2625

    •  
      (916) 278-8900
    •  
      (877) 480-5900
    •  Contact / Feedback
    •  Submit a News Tip
  • About

    • Mission / Vision / Core Values
    • Stations & Coverage Map
    • Careers & Internships
    • Staff Directory
    • Board of Directors
    • Press
  • Listening Options

    • Mobile Apps
    • Smart Speakers
    • Podcasts & Shows
    • On-Air Schedules
    • Daily Playlist
    • Signal Status
  • Connect

    •  Facebook
    •  Twitter
    •  Instagram
    •  YouTube
  • Donate

  • Listen Live

  • Newsletters

CapRadio stations are licensed to California State University, Sacramento. © 2023, Capital Public Radio. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Website Feedback FCC Public Files: KXJZ KKTO KUOP KQNC KXPR KXSR KXJS. For assistance accessing our public files, please call 916-278-8900 or email us.