DENVER — A teacher at a public elementary school in northeast Denver was terminated after allegedly making a 6-year-old African-American boy clean up another student’s feces.
According to Chalkbeat, the incident occurred in May at Stedman Elementary in the North Park Hill area.
Citing a community advocate, Chalkbeat reports that after the teacher discovered the feces, she asked several students who was responsible. A white student then blamed a black student.
While the black student said he was not responsible, the teacher told him to clean up the feces. The student did so.
Chalkbeat said that according to the community advocate, the teacher involved is not African-American.
Denver Public Schools spokesperson Will Jones said that as soon as the district became aware of the allegation, it launched an investigation. The teacher was placed on administrative leave during the investigation, per DPS policy.
The investigation has since ended.
“Based on the results of that investigation, DPS and the Stedman administration have decided that the employee will not return to the school district,” Jones said in an email to FOX31 and Channel 2.
The teacher’s name was not released. DPS said that personnel information is kept confidential by law.
“Denver Public Schools is committed to providing a safe and healthy learning environment to all of our students,” Jones said.
Jones added that the district remains in contact with the African-American student’s family.
“We continue to engage with the family and student involved to provide needed supports,” Jones said.