WINDSOR, Vt. — A white Vermont school principal was fired for a post on social media in June that was critical of the Black Lives Matter movement.
The Mount Ascutney School Board’s decision was released on Friday and concluded that the statements of Tiffany Riley, the principal of Windsor High School, on her personal Facebook page were “inconsistent with the expectations for a principal,” mychamplainvalley.com reported.
“The June 10 Facebook post is readily susceptible to being construed to suggest racist themes,” the decision states. “While there is no evidence that Employee personally holds racist beliefs, that is irrelevant to the point that the content of the post contains messaging reasonably susceptible to being construed as espousing racist views.”
Riley’s post said she firmly believes that “Black Lives Matter, but I DO NOT agree with the coercive measures taken to get this point across; some of which are falsified in an attempt to prove a point.”
She went on to write that while she wants to get behind Black Lives Matter, “I do not think people should be made to feel they have to choose black race over human race. While I understand the urgency to feel compelled to advocate for black lives, what about our fellow law enforcement? What about all others who advocate for and demand equity for all?”
Her post generated more than 100 comments and was widely shared, the school board said. She was placed on paid administrative leave June 12 and the board unanimously voted on July 27 to fire Riley, pending a termination hearing. The Sept. 10 hearing was held in a closed executive session, although Riley tried to have the hearing open to the public.
She could not be reached for comment. There was no phone listing in her name.
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