A fifth-grade Florida student was "humiliated" after her teacher asked if she was in a relationship with another girl, her mom revealed, as reported by KPTV.
The 11-year-old, from Port St. Lucie, is now reportedly too embarrassed to return to school as she was asked the inappropriate question in front of her entire class.
She will not be returning to Northport K-8 School for the rest of the academic year, her mother, Jezenia Gambino told Insider.
Check out the moment a teen defended himself against a homophobic bully:Gambino also revealed that the rest of the school year will be conducted via homeschooling.
The incident was sparked by a rumor which was going around Northport K-8 in Port St. Lucie. "The rumor was that my daughter and another 5th-grade little girl were dating," said Gambino, per KPTV.
"She asked them if they were together if they were dating as a couple together and she asked them in a way that they felt they were in trouble," continued Gambino.
The Florida mother says she did not know anything about the incident until her daughter received a text from her friend that clearly upset her.
"She wasn’t sure if they should hang out together anymore because of what happened in school. She didn’t want anyone to think they were gay," Gambino added.
Over a week later, Gambino found out via an email that the teacher had been reported to the Florida Department of Education for engaging in inappropriate communication with her daughter. The teacher was reportedly given a verbal warning.
"What they did affected my daughter in a way that now I'm having to go back and fix," added Gambino.
The District says it has a strict policy against any form of inappropriate conduct. "[The] School Board will not tolerate sexual harassment or any other form of illegal harassment by any of its employees, students, volunteers or agents."
However, Gambino tells KPTV that the district has done little to protect her daughter, which is why she has resorted to homeschooling.
