Texas Student Branded With 'Future Terrorist' Label By Teacher

CHANNELVIEW, TX — A 13-year old Channelview ISD student received an unusual certificate from her 7th grade teacher Tuesday that left her embarrassed and her mother furious.

Lizeth Villanueva, a 7th grade student at Lance Cpl. Anthony Aguirre Junior High School received the mock award from her AVID teacher with the words: “Most Likely to Become a Terrorist” written on the certificate, and signed by her teacher. (Want to get daily updates about traffic news and other events going on in your area? Sign up for the free Houston Patch morning newsletter.)

The mock awards were handed out to Lizeth and her classmates during her AVID class — an advanced learning class that prepares students for college — and was meant to be funny, and was preceded with a disclaimer from the teacher, who said it might hurt some students’ feelings, according to a KPRC report.

"It was not a joke," Lizeth told KPRC. "I do not feel comfortable with this...I do not feel comfortable being in the same classroom with [the teacher]."

The timing of the mock award labeling the 7th grader a future terrorist couldn’t have come at a worse time, with Lizeth receiving the fake certificate the day after a terrorist bombing in Manchester, England killed 22 people and injured dozens more.

Lizeth’s mother Ena Hernandez didn’t think it was funny at all.

In fact, she was furious that her daughter was embarrassed by a teacher, in front of her classmates, by a grown woman, The New York Post reported.

“It doesn’t look good at all, especially coming from a teacher, a grown-up woman,” Hernandez said. “It doesn’t look good because everything that’s going on right now.”

The district sent out the following statement:

"The Channelview ISD Administration would like to apologize for the insensitive and offensive fake mock awards that were given to students in a classroom. Channelview ISD would like to assure all students, parents and community members that these award statements and ideals are not representative of the district's vision, mission and educational goals for our students."

The teacher was disciplined and the school district continues to investigate the incident, officials said.

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