Texas Teacher on Leave Over bin Laden Comment

FRIENDSWOOD, Texas – A Southeast Texas teacher has been put on leave pending an investigation into an allegation that he made a racially insensitive comment to a Muslim student referencing the death of Osama bin Laden.

The teacher is accused of offending the American-born female student on Monday during a ninth grade algebra class at Clear Brook High School in Friendswood, located 23 miles southeast of Houston.

District spokeswoman Elaina Polsen did not return a message left by The Associated Press on Wednesday. In a statement to KTRK-TV of Houston, Polsen said the unidentified teacher asked the girl in front of the class if she was grieving because her "uncle" had died, referring to bin Laden.