SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Crowds packed the Twin Rivers Unified School District meeting to support a beloved teacher facing what they called an unfair termination.
Jordan McGowan is a history teacher and basketball coach at Rio Tierra Junior High School in Sacramento. He said Twin Rivers Unified School District is unfairly firing him for playing basketball with a Black student instead of giving detention.
"Street basketball is a huge part of Black culture. It's a huge part of how we come together and have teachable moments," McGowan said.
It happened during basketball tryouts on Dec. 1. McGowan told ABC10 that he softly hit the student in the head with the ball as part of a street ball trick called "off the heezy." Two days later, McGowan said he was placed on paid administrative leave.
"I was too Black. I was too Black. I'm being fired for being too Black?" McGowan said.
Outraged students and parents joined 500 others in signing a petition supporting McGowan.
“The teacher that they love the most and that was actually able to get through to them is now trying to be taken away by the Board who runs these schools,” said Ahmad Corbett, a concerned student.
During the meeting, a board trustee emerged to make the big announcement about McGowan.
“For all the young folks that came and spoke, we want to thank all of you for coming up. I just want to let you know that he will not be expelled,” said Basim Elkarra, board trustee.
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