Belleville East staff member accused of making racist comment in front of students

A Belleville East High School staff member was reported for making a racist statement in front of students, District 201 announced in an automated phone call to families Thursday afternoon.

Belleville Township High School Superintendent Brian Mentzer declined to name the staff member or share what the staff member allegedly said. It’s a personnel matter and sharing specifics about the situation could compromise the district’s investigation, he said.

“I regret to inform you that today, during a lunch period, a staff member made an inappropriate statement in the presence of a group of students that was racist and divisive,” Belleville East Principal Josh Lane said in the robocall. “The incident was promptly reported to the administration and immediate steps were taken to address the matter.

“District 201 is committed to a resolution that will address the conduct of the employee and provide support for the harm that has been caused to the students and faculty within our learning community. Please do not hesitate to reach out to the administration if you have any questions.”

The district’s immediate steps included gathering up as much information as possible about the allegations to develop a plan for next steps, Mentzer said. District social workers and counselors have been informed of the situation and will be available for students.

Mentzer said the district never wants anyone to be harmed by something someone said in the buildings.

“We take this stuff seriously,” he said. “When we have an allegation of this nature, we know how important these things are.”

This story was originally published May 5, 2022 at 5:25 PM.