Lycee Montessori School in Cypress found itself at the center of a heated controversy after a racial slur was discovered in a newsletter sent to over 150 families. The offensive phrase appeared on page three of the newsletter, which began with a Valentine's Day greeting. The school has since issued an apology, though parents, including Jenet Dove, whose four-year-old daughter attends the Montessori, are insisting on further action.
"This is egregious," Dove told KPRC 2, indicating her shock and dismay over the unexpected discovery in the newsletter that read, "Sometimes just spending that quality academic time with your child one on one in the comfort of your home can be equal to if not greater than the academic authorization of a real n**** b****." Parents were alerted to the error after the school sent out an apology email, prompting recipients to take a closer look at the content they had received.
The director of Lycee Montessori School has publicly reassured that the language is not reflective of their principles and spoke of tightened security measures around the accounts used for the newsletter distribution. Dove stressed the concerns of safety and the impact of such an incident occurring at the inception of Black History Month, questioning the suitability of sending her daughter back to the school. "The idea that I’m supposed to send my child to this school again with someone who has this type of language on their hearts and in their minds ... I can’t do that," she expressed to KPRC 2.
In response to the uproar, Lycee Montessori School released a statement: "We are deeply saddened and disheartened by the recent newsletter that was sent out containing inappropriate verbiage as our school is built on the values of diversity, inclusivity, and respect for all. This language does not reflect who we are as a community. Immediately upon awareness of this disrespectful phrase being distributed, a sincere acknowledgment and apology letter was sent to all recipients," explained the school in a statement obtained by FOX26 Houston. They have yet to identify how or why this error occurred but have affirmed their serious stance on the matter.
Meanwhile, Dove and other parents have appealed to the school administration to investigate and identify the individual responsible. "We don't want someone working at our child's school having access to this, our child who is thinking like this. Even if it's a joke, who thinks this is a good joke to make," Dove said to FOX26 Houston. Due to the uncertain origins of the slur and safety concerns, some parents are contemplating removing their children from the school.
