MARIANNA, FL - Racially-charged words are causing controversy in a Marianna, Florida middle school.

And parents say they're shocked about what a teacher did.

Rebecca Baer explains.

Word at Marianna middle school is traveling fast after a civics lesson lands a long-time teacher and coach in trouble.

"He was talking about the presidential parties and then started saying some stuff, and somebody went and told what he said."

According to school administrators Greg Howard had written the acronym C.H.A.N.G.E. On the board saying it stood for Come Help An "N..." Get Elected.

Students say it wasn't a big deal.

What did you think? "Nothing, because I knew the stuff that he said, that it wasn't serious."

But administrators did take it seriously. They suspended Howard for ten days without pay and reassigned him to an adult education class, an appropriate punishment according to most parents.

"I have two boys in this school and I wouldn't ever want them around anything like that. We're not like that at home and I don't want it in other areas of their life either."

While some parents think Howard should have been fired, many students say suspension is too harsh. One even says he was the best teacher the school had.

"I think they should let him come back because really all the students like him and stuff."

Now Howard will be required to write those students a letter of apology.

Greg howard has taught in Marianna schools for 17 years.

In addition to the suspension, he will also have to attend diversity and sensitivity training.Florida Teacher Suspended