Socorro ISD investigating after substitute teacher tells student to speak English

EL PASO, Texas (KFOX14) — A Socorro School District substitute teacher appears to have been recorded on video making a remark to a student that some are calling racist.

Socorro High School is a predominately Hispanic school where students say they speak Spanish on a daily basis.

The viewer video doesn’t show the moment before the teacher’s remarks but has left a lasting impression on students and parents at the school.

In a sophomore English class on Tuesday a substitute teacher addresses a student with heavy words.

In the video the teacher is heard saying “Speak English, this is America. Give me your phone.”

“She disrespected everybody. She shouldn’t have done that,” said one student.

It is unclear exactly what led up to the remark, but students say Spanish is a part of their everyday life.

“Mostly the people here in El Paso. Their first language is Spanish,” said another student.

Socorro ISD officials responded to the incident. The provided the following statement:

The incident in this video is being investigated. Appropriate action, per our employee code of conduct policies, will be taken.

The response from several parents showed confusion as to why things like this happen especially when the school is just miles away from the Mexican border.

“We’re close to the border and half of El Paso, we’re Mexicans, we’re Japanese, we’re Italians, we’re Jewish. We’re all of us together in one,” said Brenda Cordero, a parent.

“It’s America’s language. Both either way,” said Daniel Salas.

“She knows she coming to like a Hispanic high school,” said a student.

This incident is leaving a mark on bilingual speakers.

“Well it offends me because I mean I was born here and I speak both English and Spanish,” said Brenda Cordero. “They just got to change their ways of thinking.”

“People should just be careful with the words they use against people,” said a student.

The student who took the video and the student involved did not want to speak about the incident.

The school district did not clarify exactly what disciplinary measures will be taken against the substitute teacher.