Students at Valley View High School in the Moreno Valley Unified School District are protesting and planning a walkout after a history teacher was placed on administrative leave Tuesday after Donald Trump won the election for president.
The teacher called Trump a “rapist draft-dodging coward” during a lecture on Wednesday, the day after the election, in a video that was posted on social media by a conservative commentator.
He also told his students Black and Latino voters didn’t support Kamala Harris because she has a “vagina and uterus” and Latino voters who support Trump want to be white.
“Can you end up with no human rights? Yes. Will it happen to you? Most likely not. Which is a good thing, but has Donald Trump quoted Hitler? Yes. Does he embody some of Hitler’s ideas? Yes,” the teacher told his students in the video posted on social media.
The video also recorded the teacher using profanity in describing the election results.
“I think they’re trying to make him seem like a bad guy because of what he said,” student Mykael James, who was in class during the teacher’s lecture, told KABC. “I know it was very strong toned, but that’s how he gives his lecture as a professor.”
A petition to reinstate a teacher named Mr. Perez has more than 1,200 signatures.
“…[W]e’re not here defending what he did, we’re here defending a man’s life and also the safety and protection of the student/teachers of Valley View High School,” the petition said, pointing out that the video was elevated by far right activist and commentator Corey DeAngelis.
“Not only does this tweet objectively gets facts wrong, it endangers the lives of students and teachers by doxxing the location of the school, the district, and the amount of money Mr. Perez as well as the Superintendent of Moreno Valley School District Alejandro Ruvalcaba makes,” the petition said.
A spokesperson with the Moreno Valley Unified School District said in a prepared statement that the teacher was placed on administrative leave and is pending review.
“We were recently made aware of an incident at one of our high schools, in which a staff member’s discussion about the election results turned unprofessional,” the statement said.
“We do not condone the behavior that occurred, and an immediate investigation has been launched. We recognize the heightened emotions surrounding the current political climate, and we deeply value the diversity of our community, which encompasses a wide range of perspectives and beliefs.
“Our goal is to foster a respectful and inclusive learning environment that supports all students.”
The district did not identify the teacher by name.
The students are planning to walk out in protest this week in response to the teacher being placed on leave.
City News Service contributed to this report.
