American Indian Prof Threatened White Student over Support of Aztec Mascot

An American Indian lecturer harassed and threatened a white student over the student’s support of a school Aztec mascot, a Thursday probe found.

San Diego State University lecturer Oscar “Ozzie” Monge threatened to lower white student Crystal Sudano’s grade after she signaled her support of the school’s Aztec mascot, reported The Daily Aztec.

The California Department of Justice found Monge guilty of three of the four accusations levied against him by Sudano, a six-month investigation discovered. The lecturer had racially discriminated against Sudano, racially harassed the student, and racially retaliated against her. The department did not find Monge guilty of the final allegation, disability-based discrimination.

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The lecturer called Sudano “racist” for wearing a t-shirt displaying the mascot and claimed that her braided hair constituted cultural appropriation in Facebook messages.

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“Monge retaliated against Sudano…after she complained to [him] about his discriminatory and harassing conduct, and appeared to undermine Monge’s thesis in the mascot resolution debate,” said the California DOJ. “Monge told Sudano that her grade would be lowered, ultimately causing her to seek a constructive withdrawal from [his] class.”

“It is quite easy to argue that ‘whiteness’ is synonymous with evil,” said Monge to investigators, denying any misconduct.

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