Bennion Jr. High School employee on leave over racist allegations

TAYLORSVILLE, Utah — An employee at Bennion Junior High School in Taylorsville has been placed on administrative leave after he allegedly used a racial slur against a student.

The incident happened Thursday, May 19.

The parents of the student involved shared a public statement Monday, detailing their frustrations about what had occurred.

“I am disappointed and angry that our children are being victimized by people who are entrusted in positions of authority. Teachers are supposed to love what they do while setting the example for children who are our future. Thank you all for coming. I know my family is not the only one experiencing this discriminatory injustice. And we need change.”

A spokesperson for the family read that statement, then answered several questions from the media.

The three were joined by dozens of people in the community who were standing in solidarity with those who have experienced similar treatment.

The incident remains under investigation.

Officials have not released the employee’s name.

The Granite School District shared this statement with KSL Monday evening:

Every child deserves to feel safe and welcome in our schools. We respect and share the concerns presented by this family and look forward to the opportunity to visit with them directly as our investigation progresses. As previously stated, the use of derogatory language or racial slurs will not be tolerated in any context. The employee remains on leave until the investigation is complete and we will take appropriate action at that time. We would encourage any student or family to report unsafe behavior of any kind using the “report a concern,” tool on our website at www.graniteschools.org or using the SafeUT application for mobile devices. Both tools can be used anonymously. We appreciate the help and support of our communities as we work to ensure a safe environment for all children.