A suburban high school is investigating after a long-time teacher’s string of opinionated Facebook posts left many calling her words “hurtful and offensive.”
The Palatine High School teacher, who is not being identified, is now being investigated by the school district for the posts.
“Quite frankly it’s been really devastating for her former students and colleagues to see that she’s so violently against so many minority groups,” former student Amirah Nasir said.
The posts were extremely critical of looters and protesters in the wake of George Floyd’s death in Minneapolis. The teacher’s Facebook page has since been deleted, but dozens of people took screenshots of the posts, forwarding them to school administrators.
“I think that this point a lot of teachers and residents are now understanding that she needs to go,” community activist Tim McGowan said.
McGowan led Palatine’s first ever “Black Lives Matter” event, and has children who attend school in the district.
“Everyone is entitled to speak out and to speak their mind, but as a teacher molding minds, it’s completely unacceptable to have those kinds of narrow ideas.”
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Palatine High School principal Tony Medina responded to the investigation, saying that the teacher’s statements “do not represent the values” of the school.
“The statements being reported do not represent the values and principles of the faculty and staff of Palatine High or District 211,” he said. “We are currently conducting an investigation and will follow through with appropriate measures.”
There is a school board meeting scheduled for next week, with many planning to attend to voice their displeasure with the teacher’s comments and to call for her dismissal.
The teacher at the center of the uproar says she cannot comment at this time, but plans to in the future.
