Parent complains about derogatory class name

BEDFORD, Texas - The Hurst-Euless-Bedford school district is apologizing for a teacher who picked an offensive nickname for her class.

A parent who didn’t want his face shown on camera shared a picture with FOX 4 that shows the name “Jighaboos” on a laminated classroom sign at Bell Manor Elementary in Bedford.

“I don’t think other parents know. I don’t think children have sat down with their parents yet and told them,” he said.

According to his son, it’s the mascot name his sixth grade teacher assigned to the class. He said other classes got different names.

“You put Dream Team and then you have the Jighaboos. Really? Really with that? That’s, that’s unacceptable,” he said.

The outraged dad visited the classroom when it was empty and hurriedly took a photo of the sign. It also has text that reads like a mantra. The first line is, “Mrs. ___’s Jighaboos are at school today to achieve our 6th grade goals and prepare for 7th grade.”

“She makes them recite that out loud,” he said.

The district told FOX 4 the teacher did not know the term is commonly known as a derogatory reference for African Americans. A statement was issued with an apology.

“[We] would like to extend an apology for the inappropriate actions taken by one of our elementary teachers who failed to vet a class name. We take this situation seriously and the issue was immediately addressed with the principal and classroom teacher. Both the principal and the teacher have apologized to the parent reporting this concern,” H-E-B ISD said.

The dad doesn’t believe ignorance is a good defense.