Weston Ranch Teacher Under Investigation for Comments Regarding Police Brutality

August 9, 2020 at 8:57 pm

Video of Weston Ranch High School teacher Joe Barron has circulated of him making insensitive remarks about police brutality.

Video courtesy of @408._akeel on Instagram

A band and orchestra teacher at Weston Ranch High School has been placed under investigation for comments making light of police brutality during an online class. The teacher, Joe Barron, made the comments while responding to a student’s question about being able to get their instruments while school was online. He began by saying that the students had to maintain their distance while in the band room, and if they did not, they would be forcibly thrown into isolation by the police. Mr. Barron continued that if they resisted, someone would put a knee on their necks (a likely reference to the killing of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer). A student on the call walked out of his room, to which Mr. Barron made a halfhearted apology and then carried on.

The encounter was caught on video by a Weston Ranch student, and has been shared extensively on social media. Calls for Manteca Unified School District to fire Mr. Barron have also widely circulated online. The principal of Weston Ranch, Troy Fast, said in a statement that administrative action had been taken against Mr. Barron and that an investigation had been launched into the matter. He also said in the statement that, “We appreciate those students, parents, and staff members that have reached out to us with your concerns… We are saddened by this issue and deeply sorry for any trauma that this may have caused.”

These comments are not the first time that Mr. Barron has made offensive or inappropriate remarks. For instance, he previously stated that if someone in the music program committed suicide, the band or orchestra would not play for them because they had performed a selfish act. However, he did not face any disciplinary action from the Weston Ranch or Manteca Unified administration because the students did not have concrete evidence of the remarks. This has been confirmed by multiple Weston Ranch students. Mr. Barron has not yet responded to inquiries for comment.