A parent is asking for more to be done at Garrard County Middle School after a teacher corrected a student on the "proper" way to use a racial slur.

The student was in an argument with others, when the word was used.

"There was some form of an altercation that was verbal," said Patrick Alcorn, parent. "One child called my child the N-word and, from my understanding, the teacher heard it and then she proceeded to correct the child who said it, and said that you're saying it incorrectly, this is how you say it."

It was hours before school officials called Alcorn, then his child came home to tell him what happened.

"And that's when I went to the superintendent's office and he and I had a conversation about it," Alcorn said. "You have to give a person an opportunity to make a situation right."

Alcorn waited a week as an investigation was conducted and the result, per the recommendation of the school lawyer, was a letter of reprimand in her permanent folder.

"The punishment doesn't fit the crime in my personal opinion," Alcorn said.

After talking with the school attorney, Interim Superintendent Ronald "Sonny" Fentress says only so much can be done to punish the teacher because she's a 21-year veteran with tenure.

However, the teacher did send a letter to apologize. In it, she claimed she repeated the word in class without thinking first.

"Well, I'm not satisfied with a written apology from the language in the letter because the language states that she used the N-word inappropriately," Alcorn said. "So, my question is, when is it ever appropriate to use the N-word?"

We asked Fentress the same thing, his answer, never.

Alcorn says it comes down to an example that schools and teachers should be setting.

"I don't really feel that there is any room in society, this is 2020 that we should be using that verbiage on either side of the fence," Alcorn said.

Alcorn said he would either like that teacher to sit down with him and others to understand how her words affect those around her or for a portion of her salary to be donated to the National Negro College Fund.

As far as we know, no further action is being taken from the school.