COVINGTON, Ga. — Newton County Schools' officials have suspended an Alcovy High School art teacher and are investigating after a video that went viral showed her using the "n-word" during a conversation with students in her classroom.

Alexandrea Boyington was placed on administrative leave pending an investigation by Newton County School System, officials said in a statement.

Boyington, who is white, is shown in the video asking students if it was appropriate for her to use the word if "I date a Black guy" because "I got a n----." 

The date the video was taken is not shown but an online source for the uncensored video claims it was taken the first day of class in early August.

Newton schools officials said in a statement, "Over the weekend, Newton County School System administrators received notification of a video circulating online that allegedly involved an Alcovy High School teacher making inappropriate statements in class. 

"The teacher, Ms. Alexandrea Boyington, is currently on administrative leave pending the outcome of our investigation.”

Boyington was the 2018-2019 Teacher of the Year award winner for Alcovy High School and has taught high school art for more than a decade.

She did not immediately return an emailed request for comment.