NAACP demands resignation of Georgia teacher following Obama comments
7:45 a.m. Tuesday, April 14, 2015 | Filed in: News
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President Barack Obama pauses while speaking in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington, Thursday, April 2, 2015, about the breakthrough in the Iranian nuclear talks. The president heralded a framework nuclear understanding with Iran as an "historic" agreement that could pave the way for a final deal that would leave the U.S., its allies and the world safer. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
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A central Georgia school system is expected this week to announce whether or not one of its teachers will resign following recent controversial comments she made in class, reportedly about President Barack Obama's religion.
The Georgia NAACP demanded at Monday's board of education meeting the resignation of both veteran Dublin Middle School teacher Nancy Perry and her husband Bill, a board member, according to WMAZ.
"We demand that the school district do the right thing, and the right thing would be to demand the resignation of the school board member in question and to accept the resignation of the faculty member," President Francys Johnson said to the board, according to WMAZ.
Following that, the school board entered a closed session to discuss personnel, according to WMAZ. Perry's husband sat out of the meeting.
"We had discussion during the executive session and there will be actions that we move forward with administratively and we'll publicly announce the things that take place over the next few days," Ledbetter said Monday, according to WMAZ.
The NAACP has previously alleged in a letter that Perry told her students in class one day that Obama is not a Christian and that any parent who supports Obama is not a Christian, either. The NAACP also alleged that both Perrys attended a parent-teacher conference soon after the comments were made.
Parents of a 12-year-old boy in Perry's class first brought the matter to light; dad Jimmie Scott gave his own paraphrasing of her comments in an interview with WMAZ.
"If your parents voted for Obama, they're evil and I don't see how your parents could vote for someone that's Muslim," he told the station. He also confirmed that both Perrys attended the parent-teacher conference.
Her comments were made in late February, after which the matter was brought to the attention of the school principal and system officials, Dublin City Schools Superintendent Chuck Ledbetter told the AJC on April 3.
Ledbetter confirmed at that time that the teacher did make controversial comments in class, but declined more detail.
Steps have been taken to make sure the situation didn't happen again, he said then. He declined to give specifics and said that personnel actions are private.
"Giving political opinions in the classroom is not OK, and we don't condone that, and we have taken measures to make sure it doesn't happen again," he said.
Johnson told the AJC in a story last week that the Georgia NAACP was soon meeting with Ledbetter, and would consider its options if the response was unsatisfactory.
Perry previously told WGMT that "what has been reported is 'untrue'" and called this an "unfortunate issue.'"
Messages left for Dublin school system officials and the Georgia NAACP were not immediately returned Tuesday morning.
This story has been updated.
7:45 a.m. Tuesday, April 14, 2015 | Filed in: News
COMMENTS 0
NEWS
President Barack Obama pauses while speaking in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington, Thursday, April 2, 2015, about the breakthrough in the Iranian nuclear talks. The president heralded a framework nuclear understanding with Iran as an "historic" agreement that could pave the way for a final deal that would leave the U.S., its allies and the world safer. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
Life with Gracie: Jail & child support
Free access to myAJC for AJC subscribers.
EXPLORE
A central Georgia school system is expected this week to announce whether or not one of its teachers will resign following recent controversial comments she made in class, reportedly about President Barack Obama's religion.
The Georgia NAACP demanded at Monday's board of education meeting the resignation of both veteran Dublin Middle School teacher Nancy Perry and her husband Bill, a board member, according to WMAZ.
"We demand that the school district do the right thing, and the right thing would be to demand the resignation of the school board member in question and to accept the resignation of the faculty member," President Francys Johnson said to the board, according to WMAZ.
Following that, the school board entered a closed session to discuss personnel, according to WMAZ. Perry's husband sat out of the meeting.
"We had discussion during the executive session and there will be actions that we move forward with administratively and we'll publicly announce the things that take place over the next few days," Ledbetter said Monday, according to WMAZ.
The NAACP has previously alleged in a letter that Perry told her students in class one day that Obama is not a Christian and that any parent who supports Obama is not a Christian, either. The NAACP also alleged that both Perrys attended a parent-teacher conference soon after the comments were made.
Parents of a 12-year-old boy in Perry's class first brought the matter to light; dad Jimmie Scott gave his own paraphrasing of her comments in an interview with WMAZ.
"If your parents voted for Obama, they're evil and I don't see how your parents could vote for someone that's Muslim," he told the station. He also confirmed that both Perrys attended the parent-teacher conference.
Her comments were made in late February, after which the matter was brought to the attention of the school principal and system officials, Dublin City Schools Superintendent Chuck Ledbetter told the AJC on April 3.
Ledbetter confirmed at that time that the teacher did make controversial comments in class, but declined more detail.
Steps have been taken to make sure the situation didn't happen again, he said then. He declined to give specifics and said that personnel actions are private.
"Giving political opinions in the classroom is not OK, and we don't condone that, and we have taken measures to make sure it doesn't happen again," he said.
Johnson told the AJC in a story last week that the Georgia NAACP was soon meeting with Ledbetter, and would consider its options if the response was unsatisfactory.
Perry previously told WGMT that "what has been reported is 'untrue'" and called this an "unfortunate issue.'"
Messages left for Dublin school system officials and the Georgia NAACP were not immediately returned Tuesday morning.
This story has been updated.