In 2005, Woods – who is of Caucasian, Black, American Indian, and Asian ancestry – recalled a traumatic incident that first made him aware of his racial identity in an interview he gave for Charles Barkley’s 2005 book Who’s Afraid of a Large Black Man?
He said: “A group of sixth graders tied me to a tree, spray-painted the word ‘nigger’ on me, and threw rocks at me. That was my first day of school. And the teacher really didn’t do much of anything.”
But the teacher, Maureen Decker, insists “no such incident ever occurred” under her care, and organised a press conference on Friday (02Apr10) to address the claims.
Decker’s attorney Gloria Allred called for Woods to apologise publicly and privately: “No teacher should ever be treated in such a callous and unfair manner especially one such as Ms Decker… We think it’s time for Tiger Woods to do the right thing which is to retract the statement and apologize to Ms. Decker.”
It is the latest incident in a string of scandals for the sports star. Woods’ career and home life were rocked last year (09) when news of his numerous affairs behind wife Elin Nordegren’s back hit the headlines.
He entered a rehab facility for sexual addiction therapy before apologising to his family, friends and colleagues in a statement in February (10).
