Mayor Faces Criticism for Racial Slur During Lecture

Warning: This story includes discussion of offensive and racist language.

Trent University’s undergraduate students union is asking the school not to invite Peterborough Mayor Jeff Leal back to campus after he used the N-word while speaking to a class last month. 

The incident happened on March 19, when Leal attended a business class as a guest lecturer, according to a statement from the Trent Central Student Association. 

“Furthermore, he expressed racist sentiments that demeaned both the Black and Mexican communities,” the statement says. 

“The City of Peterborough should hold its mayor to a higher standard.”

A recording of part of Leal’s remarks was by Trent University’s independent student newspaper, Arthur. 

In it, Leal can be heard talking about former U. S. President Lyndon B. Johnson. 

“He used this language that you would never use today, and he talked about poor [redacted] and Mexicans that he taught Sunday school to,” Leal says on the recording.

The word after “poor” was bleeped out in the recording by Arthur. Arthur and a student whom the publication interviewed reported that the redacted word was the N-word.

Students file complaint with city’s integrity commissioner

The students union says it has filed a complaint with the city’s integrity commissioner over the incident and plans to host a sit-in at city hall on April 28. 

Iyiola Alade, president of the Trent Central Student Association, said it came as a shock to him that a political figure would use a racial slur during a lecture. 

“We urge the members of the Peterborough community to place their leaders on a higher standard. We do not think racism belongs on our campus, in our city or in the world,” he said in an interview with .

He said some students have told him the incident has shaken their belief that the university was a “safe space” from racism. 

“Students aren’t feeling as safe as they used to, I would say.”

He said the union hasn’t asked university officials to bar Leal from campus at this point but noted some students have suggested that.



“We prioritize the well-being of our student body and we would recommend that the university not place our students in a situation where they would have to experience harm a second time.”

The union is also calling on

the university to ensure guest speakers are properly screened, including having their content reviewed before it’s presented to students, and that they receive anti-racism, diversity, equity and inclusion training.

Mayor apologizes for ‘deeply offensive’ language

Le al apologized for th e remark i n astatement posted t o t he city’s website Tuesday , where h e s aid h e was quoting ahistorical remark attributed t o L yndon B. Johnson f rom th e 1930s.

” In doing so , th e quote th at I u sed included ar acial slur th at is deeply offensive an d hurtful , ” L e al sa id.

” Regardless o f th e context or intent , using tha t word w as wrong. I recognize th epain it carries an d th eresponsibility I h ave tospeak with carean d respect.”

In its own statement Tuesday , Trent University thanked students who came forwardtoexpress their concerns , addingthatit is unacceptabletouse racistlanguage “regardlessofcontext.”

“ We apologize for teharmthis causedtoourstudentsandrecognizethatwords (racialslurs)canhave lastingimpactsonracializedstudents,”thestatement says.

Theuniversitysaystitwill extendits equi ty, dive rsity, inclusio nandanti-Blackracismtrainingto invitedspeakers “inanefforttoensurethatsuchanoccurrenceis notrepeated.”

Theincidenthighlightstheneedforthat typeofeducation, saydoreen Simpson, presidentof Rememberthe400, a nonprofitorganizationdedicatedtoempowering Blackyouth.

“ Whenyou’regoingtogoinfrontofagroupofpeoplesthat’sdiverse, youneedtounderstandthecommunitythatyou’regoingtospeaktotackleevery subjectwithcare,” shesaid.

“ Ithinkthatconversationneedstobeconstantinourcommunityneedsbtomoreprevalentsothatthesesituationsdonothappen.”

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