White teacher who failed to hang up Zoom call is caught calling black parent ‘a pieces of s***’ and saying her son lies because ‘that’s what black people do’
- Katura Stokes and her 12-year-old son had a Zoom call with teacher Kimberly Newman on January 20 to discuss educational issues amid distance learning
- Afterward, Newman failed to exit the call and was heard making racist remarks about Stokes and the boy – who are black
- ‘These parents, that’s what kind of pieces of s**t they are. They’re black. She’s black. They’re a black family,’ Newman stated
- She added that the boy had ‘learned to lie and make excuses that nothing is his fault’ because ‘that is what black people do’
- Stokes has now filed a damage claim against the school district; Newman has resigned as a teacher
The mother of a black sixth-grader has filed a damage claim against a California school district after a white teacher was caught making racist remarks on a Zoom call.
Katura Stokes filed the claim against the Palmdale School District on Thursday after the shocking comments were made on January 20.
The damage claim is likely to lead to a lawsuit, according to The Orange County Register, who obtained video of the rant in which educator, Kimberly Newman, claimed black people lie and fail to take accountability for their actions.
According to Stokes’ attorneys, the mom reached out to teachers at Desert Willow Fine Arts, Science and Technology Magnet Academy back in January because her 12-year-old son was struggling to adjust to online learning.
Newman, a science instructor, called Stokes and her son via Zoom on January 20 to help them through some educational issues.
Afterward, Newman failed to exit the call and was heard making racist comments on her computer’s microphone.
Katura Stokes’ son attends Desert Willow Fine Arts, Science and Technology Magnet Academy (pictured), a part of the Palmdale School District.
In a video recording of the call, Newman tells another person – purportedly her husband – that she believes Stokes had been avoiding making contact with the school and actually had no interest in helping her son with his classwork.
She then states: ‘She [Stokes] answered her phone for the first time the entire year. I mean, these parents, that’s what kind of pieces of s**t they are. They’re black. She’s black. They’re a black family.’
Later in the clip, Newman states that the 12-year-old boy has ‘learned to lie and make excuses that nothing is his fault’.
‘This what black people do,’ Newman proclaims.
‘White people do it too, but black people do it way more.’
Newman has since resigned from Desert Willow Fine Arts, Science and Technology Magnet Academy.
She also appears to have scrubbed her social media accounts.
In a video of the call, Newman tells another person – purportedly her husband – that she believes Stokes had been avoiding making contact with the school and actually had no interest in helping her son with his classwork
Stokes says she recorded the incident on her phone because the remarks were so outrageous that she was concerned no one would believe they were real
Stokes says she recorded the incident on her phone because the remarks were so outrageous that she was concerned no one would believe they were real.
Stokes is now being represented by Neil Gehlawat and John Taylor of Ring Taylor attorneys.
‘The horrible comments the teacher made in the video are truly heartbreaking for a mother to hear and for her young son to hear,’ Taylor told The Orange County Register.
‘It’s unthinkable that an educator would mock and belittle this family, and there is no doubt that this incident has scarred them.
‘All children are entitled to receive an educational experience free of discrimination, and this video has demonstrated what minority students often face behind the scenes today.’
Stokes is now being represented by Neil Gehlawat and John Taylor of Ring Taylor attorneys.