A 25-second video clip recorded inside a classroom at Cliffside Park High School in New Jersey went viral this week on social media and has caused a debate. The video which surfaced on the internet on Thursday showed a teacher at the school dictating a student in a class not speak another language other than English.
"Men and women are fighting. They are not fighting for your right to speak Spanish. They are fighting for your right to speak American," a teacher can be heard saying to her class in the video. A student can be seen leaving his seat at the end of the video.
The video has sparked outrage and ignited controversy among former students in Cliffside Park, New Jersey, a diverse community with a large number of Spanish-speaking students.
The student who walks out of the class in the video can be heard saying "You're being racist, I know how to speak English."
Maria Reyes, a 2014 graduate of Cliffside Park High School, spoke about the teacher's remarks: "This is a teacher in Cliffside Park High School; she isnt allowing the student to express his constitutional right."
"Going to this school, and now my sister does, I really do not want a teacher like this," Reyes added, according to USA Today affiliate, NorthJersey.com.
Others have defended the teacher, who has been referred to on social media by some, as a "great person" and a "wonderful teacher," according to Fox59 news.
Some people commented saying English must be spoken in a class, which is being taught in English, out of respect for the teacher.
"This school is not a negative school," said Carmen Benitez, a senior at Cliffside Park High School. "You know there are a lot of different cultures in our school. Theres a lot of teachers who respect us."
Some have called for the teacher's resignation.
"It's really disrespectful," said Alana Lopez, a freshman. "That's not right. You don't do that."
Students told Pix 11 news that the principal had called an assembly to discuss the matter on Friday, when some of them brought flags to represent their culture.
Some have also planned to walk out from classrooms for Monday morning.
"You go to school to learn, you don't go to feel attacked by someone you believe is an educator," said Marvin Moreno, an alumnus, whose younger sister still goes to the school.
