The Conroe ISD is reviewing a school district officer’s Facebook comment that referred to “anti-Trump sentiment” as “retardation” Tuesday.
Philadelphia resident and activist Rufus Farmer said he came across the social media post shared by CISD Officer Brandon Walters when a mutual friend started a topic about the recent tragedy at Ohio State University that left 11 hospitalized and the Muslim attacker dead, as well as discussion of law enforcement.
The post states, “Retardation is airborn [sic]. Your only warning sign: It can be heard yelling “You racist” or “(expletive) Trump” just before you breath [sic] it in. Careful out there, my friends.”
Farmer said he is disturbed by the officer’s remarks and mentality as a member of law enforcement.
“He is not just a regular member of society,” Farmer said. “… People think that police officers by in large are good-natured folks. Unfortunately, you have a whole lot of officers that feel the way Mr. Walters feels on Facebook.”
“… I would like to see him removed from his job,” Farmer added.
Farmer is a known activist who demonstrated against the 1994 crime bill during a speech by former President Bill Clinton in April 2016 at a rally for wife Hillary Clinton. Farmer, who has been detained at previous protests, is a member of the Philly Coalition for Racial Economic and Legal Justice, which is a Philadelphia-based Black Lives Matter group, according to its website.
He protested at an “Anti-Trump Rally for Police Abolition” organized by the Philly Coalition for REAL Justice outside the Philadelphia Police Department, which “targeted the police over their union’s endorsement of President-elect Donald Trump, and over what they called the unfair treatment of people of color and police tactics like stop and frisk,” according to Metro
While Walters could not be reached for comment or to confirm whether he actually wrote the comment, the Conroe ISD released a statement on the matter.
“This matter is being addressed in accordance with personnel procedures,” CISD Director of Communications Sarah Blakelock stated in an email to The Courier.
According to the Conroe ISD employee handbook revised July 2016, if an employee posts messages or pictures which diminish the employee’s professionalism or discredits the employee’s capacity to maintain the respect of students and parents, the employee’s ability to effectively perform his or her job will be impaired.
“This type of material includes, but is not limited to, text or pictures involving hate speech, nudity, obscenity, vulgarity, conduct illegal for a minor, or sexually explicit content,” the handbook stated. “If an employee’s use of electronic media interferes with the employee’s ability to effectively perform his or her job duties, the employee is subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment.”
http://www.chron.com/news/article/Philadelphia-resident-seeks-Conroe-ISD-officer-s-10662621.php