Susan Jarrell, a 27-year veteran crossing guard in Wilson Borough, Pa. has been fired by the borough council after making comments they thought were racially insensitive.
The crossing guard was working at the intersection of 17th Street and Washington Boulevard in the Northampton County borough on November 7. She was helping kids cross the street. After directing a little boy, another student, a girl, asked Jarrell if she had been talking to her. Jarrell allegedly responding by saying she was talking to "the little black boy."
The girl kept asking Jarrell why she referred to the boy's skin color -- Jarrell finally said, "What would you want me to call him -- a little chocolate boy?" according to a report in the Express-Times.
The 52-year-old Jarrell was fired at a council meeting last week.
She told the Express-Times that she made the comment but meant no harm. Jarrell said she made the comment partially because the boy was wearing a brown sweatshirt, which instinctively made her think about the Hershey chocolate company.
Jarrell said she wrote a letter of apology to the borough, but the council President said it was not the first time there had been complaints about her.
Jarrell said she would like to fight the firing but can't afford a lawyer on the modest $7.78 an hour salary she was earning for her three-hour a day crossing guard shift.
