Hamilton Catholic school board investigating after principal uses N-word

The Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic District School Board (HWCDSB) is facing a new controversy over the use of a racial slur. A school principal in Stoney Creek has admitted using the N-word and apologized. But, parents say the school board should be doing more to put a stop to racism in its schools.

On Thursday, Sept. 28 at St. James at St. James the Apostle Catholic Elementary School in Stoney Creek the principal, Elena Minicucci says she overheard students using inappropriate language. When telling them not to talk that way, she says she “inappropriately used a racial slur as an example” of what not to say.

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Parents say she used the N-word to students, “They were very distraught, very upset. They couldn’t believe what happened.”

Minicucci wrote an apology to parents, in it she says she used “an offensive racial slur” and recognizes the “immense pain and distress it may have caused the students.” She says it was “inexcusable” and an “oversight in judgment.”

Ryan and Dawn McGinnity say their children at the school were upset by the language aimed at schoolmates.

“They are absolutely hurt because they see what these children are going through and they don’t think it’s fair and they don’t think it’s right. We raised our children with certain beliefs especially in the catholic school board to love everybody and to not hate. I’ve explained to the children, you use that word, that’s hate language,” Dawn said.

The Catholic school board is investigating. School board chair Pat Daly said, “We take all allegations very seriously and will deal with them appropriately whether it’s through discipline or professional development, education, mentorship, whatever is necessary.”

Parents CHCH News spoke with say the principal’s apology was sent only to the parents of grade five and six boys and should have gone to the whole school, along with a faster response, with continuing conflict at the school.

Ryan McGinnity said, “People at this school, this school board, and this community need to know exactly what’s happening here. I don’t think it’s fair that she only issued that apology directly to those boys.”

In April this year, the same thing happened here at Bishop Ryan Catholic Secondary School. Sources told CHCH News then that a senior staff member used the N-word while trying to stop students from saying it.

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The school board says people have to realize the impact of their words.

Daly said, “One of the challenges for us as a society is to come to understand the hurtfulness of using particular language even if we think we are using them as a tool to educate.”

The principal in this latest incident says she’s working to eradicate any prejudice or biases she may have or that may exist in the school.