(Radio Iowa) — A Denison High School teacher has been placed on administrative leave after students complained the teacher used the “n” word in the classroom. Crystal Holt says she had divided students into juries, to discuss a court case involving the death penalty, and they were making poster boards about the case.

“I asked why they put ‘hate crimes’ on their board,” Holt told KDSN Radio. “And one of the students said: ‘Because in the reading it said he used pejorative terms.’ And another student in that group said: ‘What does pejorative mean?’ And I said it means derogatory. And the student said: ‘What does derogatory mean?’ And I said it means terms that are not nice to race and continued trying to explain that. And I said he used the ‘n’ word and then I said he used the word.”

Holt says there appeared to be no issue that day with the discussion, but the next day the dean of students asked her to speak with another class that had taken issue with her decision to use that word. “I went to that other teacher’s class and tried to explain the context of how I was using the word, the explanation of my teaching,” Holt says. “And I believe there is a videotape that is circulating (online) of me and the other teacher’s voice talking in that class trying to explain how we were using that word in instruction.”

A group of students are planning a protest tomorrow (Tuesday) morning to call for Holt’s firing. The school’s superintendent posted a statement on Facebook Friday, saying the district is conducting an internal investigation. Holt says her use of the word was not a racial slur. “A racial slur, in its intent, is directed at a person or an individual and that did not happen in this case,” she says. “The word was used to teach and help people understand the seriousness of racism in a capital punishment case and racism is a major part of several capital punishment cases.”

Holt spoke with a reporter at Denison’s radio station and was asked if the use of that word outside of an academic setting would be appropriate. “Never, never,” Holt said. “I cannot imagine that being used except in a classroom to combat and explain issues of racism.” Holt’s husband is State Representative Steven Holt, a Republican who in 2018 tabled a bill in the legislature that would have restored the death penalty in Iowa.

Denison’s superintendent — in a statement posted on Facebook — said the district takes the issue of racism “extremely seriously and regret and apologize for any impact” this classroom incident may have had. The superintendent said he’d work with students, their families and the school’s faculty to resolve the situation.

HAMILTON, Iowa (AP) — Crews have found the body of a woman while fighting a mobile home fire in the tiny southern Iowa city of Hamilton. The Marion County Sheriff’s Office says firefighters found the body of 56-year-old Rhonda Kiler early Monday after being called to the fire.

Firefighters worked for about 45 minutes to douse the fire before finding Kiler’s body in the home. Local and state investigators are still working to determine the cause of the fire.

The Atlantic School District’s Board of Education will meet 5:30-p.m Tuesday, in the High School Media Center. On the retiring board’s agenda, is discussion with regard to a retaining wall scheme at the Trojan Bowl, an action on: Revised/updated 500 Series Board Policies; the 2018-19 District Annual Report; 2018-19 Depository Statement; Board Strategic Plan, and the Abstract of Votes from the Nov. 5th School Election.

There will also be recognition of retiring Board members, followed by adjournment of the current Board. Afterward, an Organizational meeting of the New Board will take place. That includes administering the Oath of Office to newly elected Board Members, the election of a Board President & Vice President, an appointment of Board Treasurer & Secretary.

The new Board will act on necessary administrative matters, and hear a special presentation on the Construction Trades Program. Additional action items include: General and Special Education Contracts, the resignations of Food Service Worker Julie Wright and Special Ed Para-educator Kourtnie Beschorner, and Contract Recommendations for the following:

• Katy Christensen – Freshman Girls Basketball
• Wynter Waltz – Special Education Car Driver & Substitute/Activity Car Driver.
• Jeff Christensen – Substitute/Activity Car Driver
• Crystal Sunderman – Substitute Activity/Car Driver.
• And Stephanie Kloewer – Food Service.

Items for discussion include: A Facility Project Update; TLC Compensation Review Process and Strategic Planning. Other, action items include: the Green Hills AEA Board of Directors Election, and a Snow Removal Contract, to name a few.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A jury has awarded $1.4 million to a man who wanted a circumcision but instead was given a vasectomy in Des Moines. The Des Moines Register reports that the jury leveled a $2 million judgment against the physician who performed the vasectomy, Dr. Kevin Birusingh. But the jury also said in its ruling last week that the man who filed the lawsuit, Zaw Zaw, was 30% responsible. Zaw is a 41-year-old refugee who came to the U.S. four years ago from Myanmar. He sued in November 2017, nearly two years after the errant procedure.

Birusingh’s attorney Charlie Wittmack says Zaw signed two written informed consents and completed four consultations before the vasectomy. Wittmack also says both consents and each of the consultations were translated by two separate interpreters. The lawsuit said Zaw isn’t fluent in English and that “vasectomy” is not a word in Zaw’s native language of Burmese. Zaw’s attorney, Marc Harding, says a doctor’s referral documents showed Zaw was seeking a circumcision.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Hundreds of containers — many carrying hazardous materials — have floated into Missouri since flooding in the upper Missouri River basin during the spring. Missouri Department of Natural Resources officials say the agency collected more than 740 containers this year. Many are believed to be from Nebraska and Iowa. The containers range from small buckets to 500,000 gallon tanks. Many contain diesel fuel, pesticides or ammonia. KCUR reports most of the containers washed up on the banks of the Missouri River in northwest Missouri.

Environmental scientist Stephen McLane says the goal is to return the containers to their owners, but many don’t have identifying marks. A recycler in Kansas City has helped the agency dispose of roughly 12,000 gallons of fuel, pesticides and herbicides. McLane said the agency expects to be collecting orphaned containers through at least January.