A Duval teacher asked “severely intellectual disabled students” to act like slaves and to navigate obstacles as if they were being chased by dogs, according to an investigative report.
The incident happened during Black history month.
Duval County school district decided Tuesday the allegations are substantiated and Richard Wright Jr., a music instructor at Alden Road Exceptional Education Center, was reprimanded and suspended for 30 days.
Wright was teaching students the song “Follow the Drinking Gourd,” a song slaves sung while traveling through the Underground Railroad, according to the Duval County Public Schools report.
Wright said in the report his intention was to get students “up and moving” and to have them sing a song related to the Civil Rights Movement. He wanted the students to understand the meaning behind the song and “feel it,” the report said.
Action News Jax went to Wright’s home to get his side of the story. He didn’t come to the door, but his neighbor Angie Luna said he is a good guy.
“We’ve been neighbors for probably 10 years or more and I’ve never had problems. He’s been a really good neighbor,” said Luna.
Luna said she doesn’t think he meant any harm.
“From what I know about Richard I don’t think he would have a bad or negative motivation. Anything dealing with kids. He’s been a teacher for a long time,” said Luna.
The discipline report said Wright represents a profound lack of awareness of the impact such an activity could have.
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