High school secretary ‘no longer employed’ after referring to MLK Day as ‘N-word Day’

An Ouachita Parish Junior High School secretary “is no longer” an employee of the district after a text message where she referred to MLK Day as “N-Word Day” was shared on social media. According to the Daily Mail, Nelwyn Fontana used the racial slur when she sent a series of text messages to the school’s coach. 

On Monday, a screenshot of the alleged texts was shared on Facebook by an individual named Walter Geno McLaughlin. “Nelwyn Fontana is office secretary at Ouachita Jr High in Monroe, LA and took time on this #MLKDay to let us know how she really feels about honoring Dr. King,” McLaughlin, who describes himself as an artist, activist and organizer, wrote in the post.

“What she didn’t realize is that she accidentally sent her hate filled message to the wrong person,” McLaughlin added. “These are the type of people we entrust to educate our children. …From what I understand the school district allowed her to resign but there are many who feel like she should’ve been terminated.”

Fontana is said to have used the racial slur when she texted the school’s coach to remind the players that there would be no school because of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. “[N-word] day lol mark Luther king,” Fontana texted, per News Star. 

The coach, who appeared to be taken aback, replied, “Huh? Say what? Where did that come from?” Fontana then went ahead to let the coach know that there would be no school on Monday because of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.

“Remind your plays Sunday where off Monday. For Mark Luther king day Monday,” she texted before adding, “Players I ment”

Fontana later sent another text to the coach where she apologized for her use of the racial slur. “I’m very sorry coach I didn’t mean to send that first text to u please forgive me,” she texted.

Responding to the incident, Ouachita Parish Superintendent Don Coker said Fontana no longer works for the school board. In a statement on Monday, Ouachita Parish Junior High School principal Darren Wheeler also said Fontana “is no longer employed” by the school system.

“Unfortunately, on Friday evening, a text message which contained a racial slur from an employee was brought to our attention,” Wheeler said. “That employee is no longer employed by the Ouachita Parish School System. We do not condone any form of racism in our schools and community.”