SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. — The Seminole County School District told Channel 9's Mike Manzoni that Lauren Ulseth no longer teaches at Lawton Chiles Middle School. She used to be a technology education teacher. WARNING: Some viewers may find some of the comments Ulseth is accused of making offensive.
The Florida Department of Education put Ulseth on probation for a year and ordered her to pay a fine after the state said she called students “(expletive) morons” and made inappropriate jokes during class. She can still legally teach in Florida.
"It's very racist. Very racist,” said Rosa Joy when Eyewitness News showed her the jokes Ulseth is accused of making.
One of the jokes read: “Why is life like a bowl of jelly beans? Because no one likes the black ones.”
Eyewitness News obtained a copy of a recently-filed settlement agreement between the former teacher and the state education board.
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It said Ulseth also asked her students, "What do you call two Mexicans playing basketball together? Juan on Juan."
The other two alleged jokes are so racy, Eyewitness News won’t publish them.
The Seminole County School District told Eyewitness that it suspended Ulseth without pay after the incident, reported her to the state education board and then decided not to renew her contract at the end of the 2015 school year.
"I'm Latino. I'm a Puerto Rican,” said Melba Amador who has a grandson that attends the middle school.
It's unclear where, or if, Ulseth is teaching anywhere this school year.
Cox Media Group
