Report: Teacher called Muslim student a 'Taliban,' racist names

WESTON, Fla. (AP) — A South Florida high school teacher is being suspended without pay for a week after being accused of calling a Muslim student a Taliban, often alongside a slur sometimes associated with people of Middle-Eastern decent.

The Broward School Board approved the suspension Tuesday against Cypress Bay High School teacher Maria Valdes. She must also attend diversity training.

The 14-year-old boy's father wanted Valdes fired or suspended for a year.

“My son is Deyab-Houssein Wardani, he’s not a (blank) Taliban,” Wardani told the school board members, according to the Miami Herald.

Superintendent Robert Runcie said he filed an administrative complaint against the 64-year-old French teacher immediately after hearing about the incident.According to the complaint, Valdes made several Taliban references toward the boy, who is of Lebanese and Moroccan decent. At least one of the comments included a slur.

According to the Miami Herald, the teacher would say "Ah no! The Taliban is here," when the boy walked into the class.

She’d also call on him by saying, “OK the Taliban, what is the answer?” and “Let’s ask the Taliban.”

No one responded to a message left by The Associated Press at a telephone listing for Valdes.