Pikesville High School principal Eric Eiswert is under investigation after an alleged audio recording of him making racist remarks started circulating on social media.
The recording, posted to the popular Instagram account murder_ink_baltimore on Wednesday, instantly went viral, prompting Baltimore County Public Schools to initiate an investigation.
'These Ungrateful Black Kids Who Can't Test Their Way Out of a Paper Bag"
"I seriously don't understand why I have to constantly put up with these dumba**es here everyday, "an individual is heard saying on the recording. "Between these ungrateful black kids who can't test their way out of a paper bag, or these teachers who don't get it, how hard is it to get these students to meet their grade-level expectations."
The speaker goes on to question how hard it is to get those students to meet grade-level expectations. He uses names of people who appear to be staff members and says they should not have been hired. The speaker sayshe should get rid of another person "one way or another."
"And if I have to get one more complaint from one more Jew in this community, I'm going to join the other side," the voice in the recording stated.
"He needs to be removed from the school ASAP," Davina McCain, whose son is a student at Pikesville High, said in an interview with CBS News. "To hear him say that about kids? That's horrible. I mean, absolutely horrible."
School District, Superintendent Issue Statement Addressing Eiswert's Alleged 'Derogatory' Remarks
"The BCPS Department of Schools was made aware of an alleged audio recording of Principal Eiswert that included derogatory remarks about some PHS students and staff," Kyria Joseph, the department's executive director, wrote in an email to the Pikesville High School community.
"We immediately notified the BCPS Office of Investigations and they are investigating this matter. While this is a personnel matter and I am limited in what I can share, I will provide an update as soon as more information is available," she added.
In a message to the school community, Superintendent Myriam Rogers called the comments in the recording "highly offensive and inappropriate statements about African American students, Pikesville High School staff, and Pikesville's Jewish community. These statements are deeply disturbing and do not reflect the core values of our school system."
While the system cannot "confirm the veracity of this recording at this time, we are taking this matter seriously and have launched an investigation. Once we have determined the facts, we will swiftly address this incident," Rogers added.
Union Leader Claims the Audio Recording is AI Generated
Billy Burke, executive director of the Council of Administrative and Supervisory Employees, the unionthat represents Baltimore County administrators, said the voice in the recordingis not Eiswert.
"We believe that it is AI generated," Burke said. "He did not say that."
Burke said he didn't want to speculate how or why someone would create an AI voice of Eiswert, but noted that no other voice can be heard in the recording.
"If I were in that position my heart would be a little broken today," Burke said, before adding that he isn't sure how the principal is doing, but said Eiswertunderstands the gravity of the situation. "He denounces them [the comments in the recording], and he did not make those statements."
Burke said he is making sure Eiswert gets his due process throughout the investigation.
