School principal apologizes for racist comment at graduation ceremony

DEKALB COUNTY, GA (KTRK) -- A school principal in Dekalb County, Georgia, is apologizing for her racist comment at a graduation ceremony. She blames the outburst on frustration over people leaving during a student's speech.

Cell phone video shows TNT Academy Principal Nancy Gordeuk saying: "You people are being so rude to not listen to this speech. It was my fault that we missed it in the program. Look who's leaving... all the black people."

Gordeuk says she forgot to introduce the class valedictorian at Friday's graduation ceremony.

When she brought him up towards the end of the program, she became upset when some started to walk out.

Gordeuk's comment triggered a wider walkout at the event, and now there are calls for her resignation.

"She named only black people. She didn't say, 'Oh look at the Caucasians leaving, look at the Indians leaving,' she said blacks," said student Brooklyn Jacobs.

"It was not a statement of racism. It was just my frustration," Gordeuk said. "You know when I said it, I told my husband it felt like the devil was in the house cause it didn't even sound like me."

"I'm sorry it happened. So sorry, but God has forgiven me and we'll just go on from there," she added.

The principal says she received death threats and is not sure whether the private school she founded will allow her to come back. Georgia Education officials have not yet commented on the situation.