June Durant, from Walthamstow, east London, was furious when her 14-year-old son returned home and told her his teacher had ‘justified’ black people being called the N-word during class.

The class teacher, who is not black, said the use of the word was okay because black people “played up to the stereotypes of thugs and criminals.”

Following a complaint, the board of governors at the Holy Family Catholic School in Walthamstow, east London, ruled that the school had acted appropriately. The matter is now the subject of an investigation by the Teachers Regulatory Authority and the school said as a result they cannot comment.

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