Channelview ISD apologizes for offensive certificates

Officials of the Channelview school district were faced with criticism last week, because a teacher at Aguirre Junior High had awarded her students mock graduation certificates, with offensive wording on them.

One of the certificates said the student was “most likely to become a terrorist,” and another cited the student as “most likely to blend in with white people.”

The awarding of mock graduation certificates to students is not unusual, officials said, but the 7th grade teacher unofficially identified as Stacy Lockett, was cited by her principal Eric Lathan, and the District’s superintendent, Greg Ollis, for using poor judgement in the wording. District spokesperson Mark Kramer said the teachers involved had been disciplined according to district policy.

The matter drew a great deal of attention from parents and the public, both locally and nationally.