A high school teacher with the Moorpark Unified School District is under investigation after they were caught on camera making several racially-insensitive and anti-immigration remarks.
The man in the video was later identified as French teacher Gnel Frankian, who has taught at Moorpark High School for just over a month.
'You're Illegal!'
During the profanity-laced rant, which lasts for over a minute, Frankian can be heard shouting "Illegal!" and "Get the f— out of here, illegal!" to the person recording — the victim of the tirade — and a food vendor set up outside of the Santa Clarita gas station where the scene unfolded.
At one point during the video, shared by Los Angeles-based activist Edin Alex Enamorado, Frankian even shouts at a woman and other bystanders who asks him why he's yelling at the street vendor, saying "Because he can't do that," while pointing and waving his arms frantically.
The food vendor who was targeted by Frankian says that he pulled over and got out of the car to confront him about where his cart was set up, and the fact that it was set up at all.
District Releases Statement, Says Frankian Not Allowed to Return to Campus
Frankian has not yet returned to campus, according to school officials who confirmed the district was looking into the incident in a statement posted on social media.
"Officials are aware of a disturbing video that shows a teacher from Moorpark High School involved in a verbal altercation at a gas station in Los Angeles County," the statement said. "MUSD officials are taking swift and appropriate action by following our procedures and fully investigating this matter."
"This teacher has not been allowed to return to campus since the district learned of the video. MUSD is not able to comment any further about the details as this is a personnel matter," the statement continued. "We want to reiterate that any form of hate speech does not align with our core beliefs and values. Racist, antisemitic or other hate speech/behavior is not tolerated at Moorpark Unified School District."
"We are proud to celebrate diverse cultures and heritages at our schools. And we will remain dedicated to strictly enforcing our standards when such hateful words or behaviors occur," the statement concluded.
