Teacher suspended 10 days for using N-word, calling students dumb

A middle school teacher in Florida accused of using the N-word in class and who allegedly told kids they "should not be dating all these different African-American boys because they are not worth it" was suspended for 10 days — but not fired.

David Swinyar of Kernan Middle School in Jacksonville will be reassigned and will not have contact with students for the remainder of the year, Duval County Public Schools Superintendent Patricia Willis told board members.

The teacher's contract expires in June, so the school district could simply choose not to renew it.

Swinyar is also accused of calling his students dumb. "You are in my class because you failed the FSA," he allegedly said.

His suspension began on Thursday.

"His mentality hasn't changed because he was suspended," a parent told First Coast News. "He spoke his mind, he spoke his truth and he didn't think it was going to get out."

A student told an investigator with the school board in October that Swinyar used the N-word while discussing relationships with children.

"If your boyfriend says bad things to you and/or treats you wrong, that means he's acting like a n-----," Swinyar said, according to the district investigative report obtained by the Daily News. "You all should not be dating all these different African-American boys because they are not worth it."

In addition, Swinyar is also accused of telling a student, "If my daughter was dating someone who used the 'F-word,' I wouldn't have any respect for that n-----."

At one point Swinyar said, according to the investigative report: "If she (referring to his daughter) was dating someone and that 'n-----' said the f-word, I would beat him up."

After being confronted by a student about using the N-word, Swinyar said, "I would never say that, but if I did, I am sorry."

The witnesses to Swinyar's behavior were mostly in 7th and 8th grade.

Parent Richard Yanez told Action News Jax that the teacher "should be fired, of course."

Swinyar was also accused of "reviewing inappropriate material" in his classroom, but Principal Julie Hemphill wrote in a letter to parents that those allegations were not "substantiated," according to Action News Jax.

Hemphill wrote that the district was able to confirm the allegations of "inappropriate" communication between Swinyar and his students. She said the school board approved a 10-day suspension without pay, a letter of reprimand to be placed in his file, as well as a "mandatary referral to the Employee Assistance Program."

"As parents you are important to our success and should know that our greatest priority is the safety and education of all students," Hemphill wrote, according to the station. "We take this very seriously and are committed to ensuring that we strongly enforce the Code of Ethics for all our educators."