Only in America: The 'But I'm racist!' defense

A Texas teacher uses her racism as an alibi — and more in our collection of strange revelations about the nation

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The 'But I'm racist!' defense
(Image credit: Brian Bahr/Getty Images)

A Texas teacher invoked her own racism to dispute allegations that she fondled a black student. Teacher Irene Esther Stokes, who is white, denied the first-grader's accusation that she touched her private parts by claiming that she doesn't even like "touching black students on the hand." Stokes was fired.

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Samantha Rollins
Samantha Rollins

Samantha Rollins is TheWeek.com's news editor. She has previously worked for The New York Times and TIME and is a graduate of Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism.