‘So Who’s the Racist?’: Florida Teacher Accused of Telling Largely Black Class That ‘Black People Are Taught to Hate White People,’ Prompting District Investigation
A Florida high school teacher's remarks on race relations landed him in hot water after he told his class that "Black people are taught to hate white people" during a heated discussion. According to the Miami New Times, the Broward County Public Schools confirmed they're investigating an incident involving Everglades High School social studies teacher Steven Babice. One of Babice's students recorded part of a rant Babice launched during a debate with another student about whether Charlie Kirk championed racist viewpoints. The discussion reportedly took place the day after Kirk died. Everglades High School in Miramar, Florida. (Photo: Google Maps) In his remarks to a class largely made up of Black students, Babice allegedly said: “I grew up white. Everyone I know was taught not to be racist; we’re all equal. That’s what we were taught. Then I become an adult, and guess what I find out? Black people are taught to hate white people, so who’s the racist?” “Why do Black people hate white people? Because cops are killing Blacks, is that what’s going on? Are more whites getting shot by cops than Blacks? Somebody say yes because that’s a fact." "How come there are parades, fires, murders, and burning cities down all because George Floyd, a career criminal, died? But when a white girl on a train gets stabbed in the neck — just whispers. If that was a white guy killing a Black girl, the world would be upside down, correct? So who’s the racist?” ‘Respect Other Passengers’: MTA Blames Black Man Handcuffed in Viral Video After White Woman Called 911 Over How He Sat on a Train Babice also reportedly grew frustrated during the discussion, slammed his fists on a desk and kicked a closet door. After learning about the incendiary remarks, the parent of one of Babice's students filed a complaint with the school. “Kids are scared and don’t want to go back to class,” the student’s mother told New Times. “I don’t know why that man is still teaching.” A 17-year-old who was in Babice's class said the teacher also told his students that Black people shouldn't complain because their school has a Black principal and the U.S. elected a Black president. Babice also purported that Kirk has done more for Black people than former President Barack Obama. He then booted all the students from his classroom and told them to go to another teacher's room nearby. The next day, Babice allegedly forced the students to watch a Kirk memorial video and scolded the students who were reading books or not paying attention. A district spokesperson confirmed they're looking into the incident. “Broward County Public Schools is committed to upholding the highest standards of professionalism and ethical conduct,” spokeswoman Keyla Concepción wrote in a statement to New Times. “We take these matters seriously and will thoroughly investigate all allegations to ensure our learning environments remain safe, respectful, and inclusive for every student and family.” Since Charlie Kirk died, videos of some of his remarks have resurfaced online, in which he voiced his opposition to DEI, questioned whether Black pilots were qualified to fly a plane, and attributed Black women's appointments to powerful positions to affirmative action, stating they lack the "brain-processing power" to maintain those roles. Babice has come under fire in the past for inflammatory comments. In 2019, he commented underneath the Facebook post of one of his former students who challenged laws restricting abortion rights. He reportedly wrote, "When an irresponsible whore learns that a baby’s life has as much value as hers then maybe she’d use her mouth instead of her polluted vagina. Ignorant."
