Sacramento City Unified moves to fire teacher who used racial slur in class discussion

The Sacramento City Unified School District is dismissing a middle school teacher who used racial epithets during a classroom lecture last year, according to the district’s new community liaison on racial incidents.

Katherine Sanders, a seventh-grade teacher at Kit Carson International Academy, will be terminated from the district, said attorney Mark Harris, the district’s community liaison.

After an investigation, the district determined that her conduct was severe enough to call for her dismissal, Harris said.

“The district has moved to terminate based upon misconduct from an investigation which resulted in findings that she in fact had used the offensive language in a very inappropriate manner,” said Harris.

Sanders used the racial slur twice in a discussion with students in June 2021, saying the word no longer has the meaning it once did. She was heard on an audio recording comparing the use of different racial slurs.

Her words caused an outrage from students, parents, and community leaders who then immediately called for her termination following the initial incident.

Berry Accius, founder of the nonprofit organization Voice of the Youth, said the decision took too long and believes “there’s pressure” to make a decision because another racial incident occurred at West Campus High School. In that November incident, a vice principal was subjected to racial epithets online and in graffiti near her designated parking spot.

“The simple fact that we’re still having this conversation with an incident that happened in June. We’re still talking about it going into February,” said Accius. “What? Are they trying to give us a Black history gift?”

Accius wants to ensure Sanders does not teach in another district.

“We don’t need this kind of teacher around our kids, at all. Period,” he said.

Sanders did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

According to Harris, Sanders was suspended without pay on Dec. 21, a step prior to termination.

The decision to remove the teacher comes a week after the announcement of Harris’ position, however he says the district had been moving in that direction for the previous weeks.

“To be completely transparent, my coming in didn’t move the district one way or the other,” said Harris. “I think that my participation is contributing to give the district another independent perspective on what should be the appropriate manner in which to deal with these instances.”

Harris says he felt “completely comfortable” in suggesting termination would be the appropriate response.