Former TJCA Student Alleges Computer Teacher Used Anti-Black Racial Slur Toward a Student

What happened: In a Facebook discussion concerning Thomas Jefferson Classical Academy, former student Falon Smith alleged that a computer teacher used an anti-Black racial slur toward a Black student. Smith identified themself as having attended TJCA from second through eighth grade. The allegation appeared in a longer response about Smith's experiences with school employees, including reports of harassment involving LGBTQ+ students and students of color.

Smith's statement was direct, identifying a teacher's alleged use of racist language as an example of the conduct they associated with the school's environment. The preserved comment does not identify the teacher, the student toward whom the language was allegedly directed, or the year in which the incident occurred. The identity of the student is withheld in this entry.

What was reported:

An allegation involving a TJCA employee

Smith specifically identified the alleged speaker as a computer teacher. They stated that the teacher used an anti-Black racial slur toward another student during Smith's years at the school. The comment does not provide the surrounding circumstances or explain whether Smith personally heard the remark or learned about it through another student. It also does not establish whether anyone reported the incident to administrators. These missing details are important subjects for follow-up, but they do not diminish the seriousness of the conduct being alleged. A racial slur directed at a child by an educator would represent a serious breach of the trust and authority associated with that position. Unlike discriminatory language between peers, alleged racism by a teacher raises additional concerns because the employee exercises institutional authority and is responsible for students' educational environment.

The allegation forms part of a broader account of discriminatory treatment

Smith did not raise the racial-slur allegation in isolation. Their comments also alleged that teachers and students participated in racist and homophobic bullying. They described school employees as contributing to hostility rather than consistently intervening against it. The racial-slur allegation was presented as a specific example supporting that broader assessment. The distinction is important for historical preservation. A general statement that a school environment was discriminatory describes someone's experience of its culture. An allegation that a particular category of employee used a specific type of racist language toward a student identifies an incident that could potentially be investigated through witnesses, complaints, personnel records, and contemporaneous correspondence.

Why the incident matters

The allegation raises questions about the Academy's historical handling of racist conduct by employees. If such an incident was reported, relevant questions would include who received the complaint, whether students were interviewed, what investigation occurred, and whether any disciplinary or corrective measures followed. The public discussion supplies none of those answers.

It does, however, preserve a serious allegation made by a former student who identified the period of their enrollment and the type of employee involved. The central investigative question is whether the alleged incident occurred and, if school officials were informed, how they responded to it.

Original evidence:

• Rutherfordton, Forest City and Spindale, North Carolina Town Talk.pdf, p. 5. Comment by Falon Smith alleging that a computer teacher used an anti-Black racial slur toward a Black student.

• Same discussion, p. 7. Additional statements by Smith concerning alleged racism and mistreatment of students of color.

• Original community discussion opened September 11, 2023. The exact calendar date of Smith's later comment is not established by the archived screenshots.

Subsequent developments: The preserved discussion does not identify the teacher, the student affected, the academic year of the alleged incident, or any formal response by TJCA. No investigation, disciplinary finding, or subsequent personnel action related to this particular allegation has been established. The testimony nevertheless provides a focused historical research lead. Contemporaneous student complaints, parent correspondence, historical staff rosters, and firsthand accounts from individuals who were present could help establish what occurred. TJCATruth.com welcomes information from individuals with direct knowledge of the alleged incident, particularly contemporaneous reports or communications showing whether the school was informed and what action followed.

Report from the community: Falon Smith's preserved comment is the primary account underlying this entry. Smith alleged that a computer teacher used a racial slur toward a Black student, while also reporting broader concerns about discriminatory treatment at TJCA. Another former student participating in the discussion, Madison Briann Branch, recalled certain Black Lives Matter displays at the school and offered a different assessment of aspects of the school environment. That recollection provides context about Branch's experience but does not resolve the separate allegation about an individual teacher's conduct. The archive does not contain an account from the student toward whom the language was allegedly directed or from an independently identified witness. We welcome firsthand testimony that can clarify the event without unnecessarily identifying or exposing the student involved. Individuals with relevant firsthand experiences are encouraged to contact TJCATruth.com. Requests for anonymity will be respected, and identifying information will not be published without the contributor's explicit consent. All submissions will be handled with discretion and confidentiality.