‘Space aliens or illegal aliens?’ North Carolina student given 3-day suspension for allegedly ‘racist’ question

A North Carolina high school student has been suspended for three days for asking his teacher to clarify an assignment’s use of the word “alien.”

Christian McGhee, a student at Central Davidson High School, was in English class when his teacher gave students a vocabulary assignment which included the term “alien.”

Christian asked his teacher if the word was intended to mean “space aliens or illegal aliens without green cards,” reported The Carolina Journal.  

“One of the students in the class took offense [at the question] and responded by saying he was going to beat Christian up,” his mother, Leah McGhee, later told local media.  

McGhee recounted that both boys were confronted by school staff. Christian defended the innocence of his question, and the other student, who is Hispanic, said he was only joking about fighting him. 

But later in the day, Christian got called into the office again. 

“He was written up,” McGhee recalled, “and given disciplinary action for a racially insensitive comment for saying that illegal aliens need green cards.” 

The Central Davidson Student Handbook prohibits “cursing or using vulgar, abusive or demeaning language toward another person,” as well as any “speech that disrupts (written, symbolic or verbal) and/or materially and substantially disrupts the classroom or other school activities.” 

But it’s unclear how a clarifying question about the use of “alien” violates these rules. 

Nevertheless, Christian received an out-of-school suspension for three days, which also prevented him from participating in his track practices and competitions.  

Now, the McGhees worry the incident may reflect poorly on their son’s college applications and scholarship chances. 

“Our family feels that suspension and the label of racism is…extreme,” McGhee explained. “I feel that the negligence of the administration’s decision has fueled the injustice of suspension for a student who simply asked for clarification to a teacher’s instruction.”  

Though the McGhees can’t formally appeal their son’s suspension with the district, they have received an outpouring of support from the media. 

“This is absurd,” Elon Musk commented on social media about Christian’s situation.  

State Senator Steve Jarvis, R-Davidson, even contacted the school district regarding the incident. 

“I do not see that that would be an offensive statement, just in getting clarification,” Jarvis said. “[But] I don’t know the situation of this particular incident.”  

According to The Carolina Journal, the school district refused to comment on McGhee’s suspension.