Nicole Burkett Wiki
Nicole Burkett Biography
Nicole Burkett is a California high school teacher who sparked outrage by using a “slanting eyes” gesture while explaining racial stereotypes against Asians during an online class. She was placed under investigation after a video of her making the offensive gesture went viral on TikTok.
“If you look up, it’s Chinese. If they come down, they’re Japanese. If they’re straight, you don’t know,” Burkett told students at Zoom last Thursday as she raised and lowered her eyes around the corners.
Nicole Burkett Teacher
Burkett is a Spanish teacher and student advisor at Grant Union High School in Sacramento. She joined the district in 2017. Her biography on the school website lists her as an advisor to the Lao Xang Noy and KPOP (Korean pop music) clubs. “I love teaching and supporting all Grant students,” reads the bio.
Nicole Burkett: Grant Union High School
Burkett was said to be trying to explain a racist joke in the schoolyard called “Chinese, Japanese, dirty knees,” which she claimed was prevalent in the 1980s. When the video was released online, some students went out to defend Burkett, claiming the gesture was taken out of context, ABC10 reported.
The outlet said Burkett had posted about receiving death threats on her personal Instagram page.
School officials quickly condemned Burkett’s actions and said an internal investigation is underway.
Nicole Burkett Video
“The video is shocking and disappointing and does not represent the values of Twin Rivers and the community,” Grant Union Director Darris Hinson said in a statement.
Several parents spoke out against Burkett, including Maria Sepúlveda, who has three children in the Twin Rivers Unified School District (TRUSD). She accused Burkett of reinforcing “divisive behaviors and attitudes.”
“It’s really bad for the students right now. It doesn’t help the community at all,” Sepúlveda told KCBS Radio.
Nicole Burkett’s request
A Change.org petition demanding an apology and 200 hours of community service for Burkett has garnered nearly 6,000 signatures as of Tuesday morning.
The petition, led by the Sacramento Asian / Pacific Islander (API) Regional Network, also called for TRUSD to implement an ethnic studies curriculum and require all educators to undergo racial equity training.
