SACRAMENTO, Calif. (KTXL) — The Sacramento City Unified School District announced Monday that the teacher who used a racial slur in class resigned, officially ending her employment with the district. 

The teacher, Katherine Sanders, previously taught 7th-grade Spanish at Kit Carson International Academy. 

The district began to investigate Sanders after a recording exposed her using a racial slur during a lesson in June 2021. Since the recording, community leaders demanded accountability and for Sanders to get fired. Students told FOX40 last summer that Sanders allegedly used the slur in the past. 

She was placed on administrative leave on Dec. 21. 

District officials said Sanders chose to resign instead of moving forward with termination proceedings. 

To prevent incidents involving racism and to make our schools more supportive and welcoming to all, the district has implemented mandatory anti-racism training for all staff. But the work cannot end there. We must continue to confront and interrupt racism so our schools can stay focused on creating equitable learning opportunities for all students.

SCUSD Superintendent Jorge A. Aguilar

According to a press release, school officials said their investigation revealed that Sanders not only used racist language while teaching, but she continued to use it during the investigation process. 

“By taking swift and aggressive action in this case Sac City Unified sent a clear message that racist language by district employees will be addressed,” said SCUSD Board of Education president Christina Pritchett in a statement. 

Mark T. Harris, who serves as SCUSD’s equity and inclusion monitor, said in a statement that removing Sanders is a step to make change within the district.  

This incident goes to the heart of my role with the district, which is to help identify and interrupt inappropriate comments or racial epithets used in the workplace. That’s key to effecting positive change.

Mark T. Harris, SCUSD Equity and Inclusion Monitor