VIDEO: Parents Upset Over Teacher’s Facebook Post

STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI)- Some Starkville parents are not happy following the outcome of a special called school board  meeting today.

This is the second special called board meeting this week for the Starkville Oktibbeha Consolidated School District.

“I knew right then something had to be done,” says concerned parent Caprice Thompson.

Thompson is just one of many parents voicing their concern today following what some are calling a racist post made on a teacher’s Facebook page.

Connie Shannon Barber is the art teacher at Henderson Ward Elementary School in Starkville.

Last week, she posted a comment in response to an article talking about people leaving the U.S. Because Donald Trump is becoming president. saying, “Now you know how we felt 8 years ago. The White House needs a good Clorox scrubbing.”

Since then there have been two special called board meetings and a circulating petition from parents to have Barber removed from her position.

“For someone who works for the public school district, you work with kids from different backgrounds, all different type of backgrounds and something being said in that nature should not be said publicly,” says Thompson.

“There has to be some sort of legal ramifications that have to come out of this,” says concerned parent Harold Pernell.

Some have responded saying that it was not a racial post, other’s do not see it that way.

“Last time I checked, Clorox makes things white,” says Pernell.

Either way, parents want results.

“Our problem is not necessarily a black and white issue, this is a right or wrong issue,” says Pernell.

Once the board discussion went into executive session, the media and public are asked to leave.

Parents waiting for a response were hoping for the same thing.

“I really hope that they make a decision to actually let her go,” says Thompson.

“Some type of punishment that lets other teachers know that you can’t do that and get away with it,” says concerned parent Anthony Dunning.

When they opened the meeting back up to the public, board president Jenny Turner only had this formal statement to read.

“Under law, the board is not allowed to publicly discuss personnel matters. Any pending personnel matters will follow the district’s policies. Under the laws of Mississippi, the superintendent has the responsibility to make preliminary personnel decisions.”

“Personnel decisions are never discussed publicly,” says board president Jenny Turner.

Parents were not happy.

“My mind has been made up that they will no longer attend art class,” says Thompson.

“I’m with Ms. Thompson, I’m pulling mine out,” says Pernell.

“Something has to be done, something has to be done. And the parents, I need all the parents, everyone in the community needs to get together and take a stand, because something has to be done immediately,” says Thompson.