A discussion about humans’ role in causing climate change triggered Howard Zlotkin’s racism last week. The white New Jersey teacher launched into a racist rant at his high school landscape and design class in which he, among other things, suggested George Floyd (who he described as a “fucking criminal”) deserved to be murdered “because he wouldn’t comply,” and criticized the Black Lives Matter movement generally. He then ordered four Black female students to write essays and, the next day, when they refused to write it, Zlotkin personally attacked them again, telling one student, “I don’t think you can make a case. You know what, Timmia? You’re full of s–t too.”
It was unclear what exactly in the conversation on human causation of climate change triggered Zlotkin’s defense of his white privilege, but he did make his feelings clear. “If you think I’m privileged, then fuck you, because my daughter thinks I’m privileged, and I don’t speak to her,” he screamed. Zlotikin was suspended, after the second video surfaced, pending further investigation. (NBC New York, Black Enterprise, The Root, Jersey Journal, New York Times $, Washington Post $, AP, NBC, Insider)