Kentucky teacher suspended for slurring black student as a ‘porch monkey’

A teacher in Northern Kentucky will be back on the job on Monday, after successfully completing a one-day suspension for using a racial slur against a student, Fox 19 reported.

Another staff member reported Jacqueline Dowling said “wished [student's name] would stop acting like a ‘porch monkey.'”

The term is widely considered to be a racial slur.

“To call someone by that term is a racist attack," explained Tri-State community leader Bishop Bobby Hilton.

"Usually, individuals would do that to call an African American lazy ... it is very offensive," Bishop Hilton continued. "To call someone any type of monkey is offensive.”

Dowling apologized to the student and his mother.

Covington Independent Public Schools issued an Employee Reprimand and will also be requiring Dowling complete the Safe Schools Training Diversity Awareness Staff-to-Student course.