A white New York City middle school teacher who was fired for a controversial lesson on slavery is now seeking over $100 million in damages.
Earlier this year, Patricia Cummings of Middle School 118 in The Bronx allegedly had three African-American students lie on the floor, and then “stepped on their backs” in order to demonstrate “what it’s like to be a slave.”
She was then suspended pending termination, according to the Daily Mail. The school’s student population is predominantly Hispanic and black.
Cummings alleges she is a victim of “reverse racism,” and her attorney said their lawsuit’s price tag could even top one billion dollars.
“There is blatant racism and reverse discrimination in the public schools of New York City,” Cummings’ attorney Tom Liotti said. “This is why white parents do not want to send their children there.”
He added Bronx schools “are described by some” as “war zones,” and that Caucasian educators should get “combat pay” for choosing to teach in them.
Speaking to the New York Daily News earlier this year, students said that Cummings had singled out three black children and instructed them to stretch out on the floor in front of the class.
She then reportedly asked the trio: ‘You see how it was to be a slave? How does it feel?’
According to the student, when one of the children said she felt fine, Cummings allegedly put her foot on the girl’s back and inquired again, ‘How does it feel? See how it feels to be a slave?’.
Ms Cummings was removed from the classroom and subjected to an investigation, after which she was suspended pending termination.
A spokesperson for the Department of Education said an investigation had found that Ms Cummings used poor judgment, and that her employment had been terminated based on this.
The spokesperson dismissed Ms Cummings’ lawsuit as ‘baseless’.
The report notes Cummings’ Twitter account has been moribund for about a year; her last tweet was a meme criticizing NFL players who took a knee during the National Anthem.
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