4
4
HOUSTON -- Despite the laughter of teachers handing out the award, the mother of a 13-year-old girl says it's no laughing matter that her daughter was given a "most likely to become a terrorist" award at school.
During a mock awards ceremony at Anthony Aguirre Junior High in Channelview, Texas, seventh grader Lizeth Villanueva received the certificate from a teacher who laughed at her, according to USA Today.
"They just found it as a joke," Villanueva said.
"She said that some people might get offended, but she doesn't really care about our feelings. She was laughing about it."
Ena Hernandez, Lizeth's mother, says she met with the school principal who apologized for the award.
"It doesn't look good at all, especially coming from a teacher, a grown-up woman," Hernandez said. "It doesn't look good because everything that's going on right now."
The school issued a statement about the incident and said the teachers have been suspended while an investigation is ongoing.
Villanueva has not been back to class since the incident happened. When asked what she thinks should happen to the teachers, she had a simple answer.
"Get fired, at least, or something," Villanueva said.