School District Reverses Firing of Security Guard Over Slur

A union official says a black security guard is getting his job back at a Wisconsin school after he was fired for repeating a racial slur while telling a student not to use it. Doug Keillor, executive director of Madison Teachers Inc., said Monday that the union was contacted by school officials to say interim Superintendent Jane Belmore decided to rescind last week's firing of Marlon Anderson. The Wisconsin State Journal reports that Anderson said in a Facebook post Monday afternoon, "I'm back!!" Keillor said Anderson will be on paid leave as he works with the district on a transition plan back to the school, the AP reports.

Madison School Board President Gloria Reyes said she had asked the superintendent to rescind the termination. Reyes said that after a series of racial slurs were used last school year, the district adopted a zero-tolerance on the slurs to protect students. But she added, "It is important that we do not harm those that we are trying to protect." Marlon Anderson said he hadn't had time to be upset over his firing because he'd received "a busload of love" from supporters. The Boys & Girls Club of Dane County had offered him a job. (Cher had offered to pay Anderson's legal bills if he decided to sue.)