In Madison, Wisconsin, McFarland High School Associate Principal Anne Nichols is resigning after acknowledging she used the “N-word” in the presence of students, according to the McFarland School District.
Perhaps Nichols had no choice but to step down. She is the District Equity Coordinator, after all. She’s also the sister-in-law of woke Dane County District Attorney Ismael Ozanne. In a statement to district residents, Nichols wrote that her resignation would be effective immediately.
Explaining the incident that led to her departure, the equity coordinator wrote, “On September 13, 2022, while addressing a concern that a student had said the ‘n word’ [sic] to another student, I asked a clarifying question in which I stated the full word. While I immediately recognized my mistake and apologized, I acknowledge the impact that hearing this word can have.”
Nichols, who pushed an antiracism agenda in the suburban Madison school district, claims that in her 33 years of education, she “never used a racial slur against a student or any other human being.”
“I am disappointed that this situation has turned into what it has, and I have nothing but compassion in my heart for the students, families, and staff who have been impacted by this situation,” Nichols wrote in her resignation statement.
That may be true, but saying the “N-word” — even in the course of attempting to clarify what a student said — is a fireable offense in zero-tolerance woke schools. Just ask Marlon Anderson, a black security guard at West High School in Madison who was fired in 2019.
“Short story … I get called a bit@# @ss Ni€€A [sic] by a student, I responded do ‘not call me ni€€a!’ [sic] And I got fired,” Anderson wrote in a Facebook post.
Now the standards are coming for Nichols, who is white. “The MHS administration is aware that many of our students and staff are asking a lot of questions regarding the next steps regarding the use of a racial epithet, the N-word at MHS,” wrote Principal Jeff Finstad and Associate Principal Sarah Busalacchi in an email obtained by Empower Wisconsin. “We also want to reiterate that the staff at McFarland High School and the District does not tolerate the use of racial epithets or slurs or any type of harassment based on race. Those are words that should not be spoken at MHS by anyone at any time while attending MHS.”
Superintendent Aaron Tarnutzer did not return several emails from Empower Wisconsin. Nor did a school board member. But Tarnutzer informed district residents of Nichols’ resignation via email.
“I am sending this email on behalf of the McFarland School District to inform you that during the school board meeting last night the McFarland School Board accepted Anne Nichols’ resignation from the McFarland School District,” the superintendent wrote. “I know there will be a variety of reactions to this announcement. I ask that you please be respectful of the reactions others may have.”
In all of their emails, district officials say they cannot discuss the matter because it involves a personnel issue. Parents have been particularly frustrated by what they said was a lack of communication.
Tarnutzer said the district will be hiring an interim associate principal for the remainder of the school year and hiring a long-term replacement this spring. The superintendent and the director of teaching and learning will coordinate the “implementation of the district’s educational equity efforts” for the remainder of the school year. McFarland also is exploring options for long-term equity leadership to begin after the school year.
This district is all-in on the left-wing equity agenda. The District Equity Work page on the school system’s website screams its “anti-racism” agenda.
Nichols helped land the district a prestigious $1 million grant for “Supporting the Social Emotional Health of K-12 African American Students.” The five-year community project — with the University of Wisconsin partner, Wisconsin Center for Education Research — aims to “improve educational outcomes for diverse student populations, impact education practice positively and foster collaborations among academic disciplines and practitioners.” It’s steeped in critical race theory and hateful “anti-racist” dogma. It provides concentrated woke indoctrination for teachers, students, parents, and the community.
A McFarland Schools parent who spoke with Empower Wisconsin said he’s pleased to see Nichols stepping down. He said as a practitioner of the woke agenda, Nichols should have known better.
“She calls herself the ‘Equity Warrior,’” the parent said, adding that he and many families in the district have grown increasingly frustrated with the hard left turn the district has taken.
