David Spondike, a teacher at Firestone High School in Akron, Ohio, has been put on administrative leave after posting racist comments on Facebook regarding Halloween.
Spondike posted a profanity-laced post that included several uses of the N-word.
He later took down the post and put up an apology of sorts, in which he said that he was sorry “to those who are sincerely offended.” He didn’t apologize for using the N-word, saying that it’s freely used by one race but not by others, calling that “institutional racism,” reported Akron News Now.
Spondike, a music and history teacher at the school, was upset with a teen that exposed himself in front of young children.
Spondike’s Facebook account is now deleted.
He’s now on paid administrative leave.
“His comments were unprofessional and unbecoming a teacher,” said Akron Public School Superintendent David James in a statement. “Regardless of whether he was on his own time and own account doing this, he is a teacher; and his actions influence children. This is serious.”
This is at least the fourth time that Spondike has been investigated for potentially inappropriate behavior, reported Ohio.com.
He’s a full-time teacher who has been with the district since 1998, and earns $67,000 a year.
One of the times he was investigated was when he threw a chair and cursed while in anger during teaching.
“As you know, this is the third incident in which you have demonstrated unacceptable behavior over the last two years,” a human resources official wrote in a 2001 letter to Spondike. Spondike received a written reprimand following the three incidents.
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