Teacher suspended 5 days for calling teen 'Taliban'
By Karen Yi
Sun Sentinel
MARCH 18, 2015, 3:26 AM
A
French teacher at Cypress Bay High school in Weston will serve a five day suspension without pay
for referring to a Muslim student multiple times as "Taliban" in school.
The School Board approved the suspension without discussion on Tuesday , despite ongoing protests from
the student's father and other community members who wanted tougher disciplinary measures.
Y oussef Wardani, father of the 14-y ear-old student, called the decision "disgusting.'
He said he was
working with the Council on American-Islamic Relations to pursue some sort of legal action against the
district.
"I'll keep sitting in their face until they recognize what they 've done," said Wardani, an engineer in Weston.
As part of the discipline, teacher Maria Valdes will also undergo diversity training. Valdes, who has been
working in the district since 2004, can appeal the suspension. She did not return a call seeking comment.
Superintendent Robert Runcie apologized to the Wardani family and said he understood the sting of
discrimination. He shared stories of having racial slurs aimed at him during morning jogs and struggling
to hail cabs while working in Chicago.
"I hope you can understand, given my life experience, why I took this situation seriously ,"Runcie said,
maintaining the case was handled appropriately . "Any situation involving wrongful treatment of our
students is something we absolutely don't tolerate."
But Wardani, 46, remained frustrated by the decision. "Y ou have failed every teacher, parent and child in
this district,"he said.
Wardani said during the week of Feb. 2 his son walked into French class wearing a hoodie because he
wasn't feeling well that day . His teacher then allegedly said in front of the entire class: "Here comes the
rag-head Taliban."
A district complaint said Valdes referred to ninth-grader Deyab-Houssein Wardani as a member of the
Taliban or "terrorista"multiple times until his parents complained to school administrators.
The complaint said Valdes would call on Deyab-Houssein in class, stating "Ok, the Talaban (sic), what is the
answer?"or "Let's ask the Taliban."The district charged Valdes with misconduct in office, incompetency ,
immorality and violating School Board policy .[/B]
Wardani and students from Florida International University and Florida Atlantic University protested
outside the Broward School Board building in Fort Lauderdale earlier this month, demanding the district
fire or suspend the teacher for a y ear
By Karen Yi
Sun Sentinel
MARCH 18, 2015, 3:26 AM
A
French teacher at Cypress Bay High school in Weston will serve a five day suspension without pay
for referring to a Muslim student multiple times as "Taliban" in school.
The School Board approved the suspension without discussion on Tuesday , despite ongoing protests from
the student's father and other community members who wanted tougher disciplinary measures.
Y oussef Wardani, father of the 14-y ear-old student, called the decision "disgusting.'
He said he was
working with the Council on American-Islamic Relations to pursue some sort of legal action against the
district.
"I'll keep sitting in their face until they recognize what they 've done," said Wardani, an engineer in Weston.
As part of the discipline, teacher Maria Valdes will also undergo diversity training. Valdes, who has been
working in the district since 2004, can appeal the suspension. She did not return a call seeking comment.
Superintendent Robert Runcie apologized to the Wardani family and said he understood the sting of
discrimination. He shared stories of having racial slurs aimed at him during morning jogs and struggling
to hail cabs while working in Chicago.
"I hope you can understand, given my life experience, why I took this situation seriously ,"Runcie said,
maintaining the case was handled appropriately . "Any situation involving wrongful treatment of our
students is something we absolutely don't tolerate."
But Wardani, 46, remained frustrated by the decision. "Y ou have failed every teacher, parent and child in
this district,"he said.
Wardani said during the week of Feb. 2 his son walked into French class wearing a hoodie because he
wasn't feeling well that day . His teacher then allegedly said in front of the entire class: "Here comes the
rag-head Taliban."
A district complaint said Valdes referred to ninth-grader Deyab-Houssein Wardani as a member of the
Taliban or "terrorista"multiple times until his parents complained to school administrators.
The complaint said Valdes would call on Deyab-Houssein in class, stating "Ok, the Talaban (sic), what is the
answer?"or "Let's ask the Taliban."The district charged Valdes with misconduct in office, incompetency ,
immorality and violating School Board policy .[/B]
Wardani and students from Florida International University and Florida Atlantic University protested
outside the Broward School Board building in Fort Lauderdale earlier this month, demanding the district
fire or suspend the teacher for a y ear
