Education

American Indian Prof Threatened White Student Over Support Of Aztec Mascot

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Rob Shimshock Education Reporter
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An American Indian lecturer harassed and threatened a white student over the student’s support of a school Aztec mascot, a Thursday probe found.

San Diego State University lecturer Oscar “Ozzie” Monge threatened to lower white student Crystal Sudano’s grade after she signaled her support of the school’s Aztec mascot, reported The Daily Aztec.

The California Department of Justice found Monge guilty of three of the four accusations levied against him by Sudano, a six-month investigation discovered. The lecturer had racially discriminated against Sudano, racially harassed the student, and racially retaliated against her. The department did not find Monge guilty of the final allegation, disability-based discrimination.

Monge has strongly supported SDSU’s trashing of its Aztec mascot, saying it represents cultural appropriation, reported Fox News Friday. While the school senate voted to end its use in November, the vote was contested since a student council had elected to maintain it just seven months earlier.

The lecturer called Sudano “racist” for wearing a t-shirt displaying the mascot and claimed that her braided hair constituted cultural appropriation in Facebook messages.

“The AS (Associated Students) is something else that confuses me…the way it’s structured, the way it runs and how damned white it is,” said Monge to the student, criticizing the organization that had voted to keep the mascot.

Monge also objected to Sudano’s use of the phrase “totem pole” when the white student explained why all individuals’ opinions deserved to be heard “no matter how low on the totem pole you are.”

“Monge retaliated against Sudano…after she complained to [him] about his discriminatory and harassing conduct, and appeared to undermine Monge’s thesis in the mascot resolution debate,” said the California DOJ. “Monge told Sudano that her grade would be lowered, ultimately causing her to seek a constructive withdrawal from [his] class.”

“It is quite easy to argue that ‘whiteness’ is synonymous with evil,” said Monge to investigators, denying any misconduct.

SDSU said it “prohibits discriminatory behavior” but did not specifically address the situation, citing “privacy” of parties during “pending matters,” according to The Washington Examiner.

The Daily Caller News Foundation reached out to SDSU for further comment, but received none in time for press.

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