Wyandotte Public Schools board member Cindy Kinney resigned Wednesday night following a controversy over a Facebook comment about Muslims.
Kinney confirmed in a text message that she resigned from the board.
The rest of the seven-member board had called for her resignation Tuesday night in a special meeting after a post surfaced over the weekend with a comment from Kinney that residents and board members deemed racist and dehumanizing.
A screenshot of the post circulating on social media shows Kinney commenting on a post that asks, “Dogs or Muslims you can only keep one.” Kinney commented, “Dogs.”
It’s unclear when the post was made.
Kinney was absent at Tuesday’s meeting, citing a planned vacation. She sent a statement to be read by another board member in which she apologized but did not resign.
“I want to sincerely apologize for my recent Facebook post that has caused hurt and concern,” the statement said. “I take responsibility for that impact. I want to be clear that I respect people of all faiths and backgrounds. It was never my intention to offend, marginalize, or diminish anyone in our community. I understand why many were upset, and I am truly sorry.”
Kinney said she was “committed to addressing concerns directly and having meaningful conversations upon my return,” adding that she is “dedicated to fostering an inclusive, respectful, and supportive environment for every student and family in our community. I am listening, learning, and committed to doing better.”
Kinney served on the board for over a decade, including having served as its president.
The board passed a resolution condemning the post, calling it “discriminatory and hurtful” and clarifying that it was “not in any way authorized or endorsed by the full school board, and does not reflect its views or perspective.”
Superintendent James Anderson told the board he realized he reported to them, but if any of the district’s 700 employees had done what Kinney had done, including himself, he would expect that person to resign or for termination proceedings to begin.
“It’s not acceptable,” he said. “It’s not a part of our school system. And I hope the right thing happens here.”
Several people spoke during public comment Tuesday, including Jaime Churches, a former state representative for the Downriver community who is running again this fall. Churches is the state director of a Muslim nonprofit, nonpartisan civic organization.
“When you are a leader of our community, there should be responsibility when you dehumanize people for who they are and how they show up in this world,” Churches said. “Muslims are not dogs. We are not animals. We are people. And we need to treat our neighbors with dignity and respect.”
Wyandotte board member Nick Beaven-Parshall announced Kinney’s resignation on his Facebook page and said the board would appoint someone to the seat within 30 days.
jpignolet@detroitnews.com
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Wyandotte school board member resigns amid Facebook post controversy
Reporting by Jennifer Pignolet, The Detroit News / The Detroit News
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