The Pentagon responded to comments made by a California high school teacher that can be heard on video slamming the men and women who serve in the U.S. military.
Pentagon Spokeswoman Amber Smith said the comments made by El Rancho High School teacher and city council member Gregory Salcido were “uninformed.”
“I have seen maybe a few things that he said that were very uninformed, and I think that’s an excellent example of who we would like to connect with, and inform them with an accurate image of those who are serving and why they serve,” Smith said, The Washington Examiner reported.
Salcido’s comments stemmed from seeing a student wearing a Marines sweatshirt in class. A student in the classroom recorded the teacher’s rant on their phone and the video has now reached more than 6.7 million views.
“Think about the people you know who are over there. Your freakin’ stupid Uncle Louie or whatever. They’re dumb sh*ts. They’re not high-level bankers. They’re not academic people. They’re not intellectual people. They’re the lowest of the low. They’re not talented people,” the teacher says in the video.
In the videos, the male teacher goes on a rant for several minutes. He says he doesn’t know how anyone ends up joining the military.
“It’s because you have no other options,” the teacher says.
While constantly berating the military and those who serve, the teacher also asks why anyone would “wear something you can’t even support.”
“Don’t you ever bring the military into this again,” he says. “We don’t let pimps into school. Is anyone interested in being a hoe? … They’re going to lie to you.”
American Military News spoke to the student’s mother, who confirmed that her son took videos of the teacher’s rant during class.
His mother’s friend, Kimberlie Flauto, posted the videos to Facebook asking the community to help them go viral.
The student who was wearing the Marine sweatshirt in the classroom said he was called out in class to find out why he was interested in joining the Marine Corps.
“And I told him it was a family tradition,” the student said, ABC News reported. “My dad’s done it, my two uncles have done it. And I just wanted to continue that tradition because it’s also something I wanted to do as a kid. And he said so if it was a family tradition to beat women, would you continue it too?”
Salcido has been removed from all committees on the Pico Rivera City Council, according to a local CBS station in Los Angeles.
“The city Council and residents of Pico Riviera are steadfast in the recognition that the contributions by those who have served or are currently serving our country via military service are respected and we are grateful for their service,” city officials said in a statement, adding that they condemn Salcido’s comments.
The Whittier Daily News reported Monday that Salcido has been placed on administrative leave.
“One thing we are telling people for sure is that the commitment of the board and the superintendent and the staff is to really get to the bottom of this for the community,” Superintendent Karling Aguilera-Fort told the newspaper.
Salcido did not return a request for comment from American Military News. Salcido is no stranger to controversy and is apparently known for his unconventional world views that he openly shares with his students. He was reportedly placed on administrative leave from the school district in August 2017 over his questionable classroom conduct.
There is now an investigation into the videos and the teacher who made those comments, according to the Los Angeles Times.
“This is not something that we are taking lightly,” Pico Rivera School Board President Aurora Villon told Los Angeles Times. “I cannot discuss it because it is a personnel matter, other than we are conducting a full-blown investigation. We are moving very diligently.”
