Man yells racial obscenities at elementary class during field trip at Living Desert
Students at a local elementary school recently had their field trip to the Living Desert ruined by a man who hurled racial obscenities at the students and their teacher.
Tuesday afternoon, a group of students from Katherine Finchy Elementary School went out on their field trip. In a letter to parents, the school’s principal Matt Hammond said the teacher directed students to leave the coyote exhibit in both English and Spanish. A random man overheard and “proceeded to yell obscenities at the teacher the children pertaining to their Hispanic heritage and culture.”
“In an aggressive sort of manner by a strange man, that was, I think unhappy, that they were not speaking English and wanted them to speak English,” said Sandra Lyon, Superintendent for the Palm Springs Unified School District.
Hammond says the teacher moved her students away from the man and reported the incident to Living Desert staff. However, later in the afternoon, the man returned to the area where the class was and continued to yell at the group.
Staff was with the class this time and immediately called security, who was immediately escorted out of the zoo. Staff told KESQ & CBS Local 2 they have no idea who the man is.
“No we don’t know anything about him just somebody who was in the wrong place and not the right fit for him to spend his day here at the zoo which is family driven and not at the place for his liking,” said Dawn Patrick, director of park services and guest relations at the zoo.
Staff said they are planning a surprise for the students to make up for the ruined field trip.
“Pick up right where they left off so we have a surprise for them and we’ll be making that phone call today. hopefully, they’ll get a little bit of a -pick me up,” Patrick said.
As for the man who yelled at the class, staff did not file a police report on him. They did say he should consider his own behavior before making a return trip.
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