New Jersey

New Jersey Teacher to Students Whispering in Spanish: ‘Speak American'

Students at one New Jersey high school are planning a walk-out after a teacher was caught on camera telling Spanish-speaking students to "speak American."

The teacher at Cliffside Park High School can be heard saying on a video recorded by a student saying, "Men and women are fighting, they’re not fighting for your right to speak Spanish. They’re fighting for your right to speak American."

The video, which was posted on Snapchat and other social media networks and has been viewed more than 9,000 times, then shows students getting out of their desks and leaving the classroom in disgust.

"You’re being racist, I know how to speak English," said one student. "Goodbye. Goodbye."

The video does not show what happened before the exchange, but other students at the high school told News 4 that the teacher repeatedly told two students to stop whispering to one another in Spanish.

Cliffside Park graduate Esly Osuna said the teacher’s comments crossed the line.

"What she did wasn’t right," she said.

Students said the teacher -- whose name has not been revealed, had previously confronted students for speaking Spanish during and in between classes.

The school district did not comment on the video, which was first reported by the Daily Voice. But students said that the principal addressed the video in an assembly on Friday. Others online, meanwhile, defended the teacher as a good person and good teacher.

The walkout is planned for Monday. 

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