Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility
Fresno Unified Investigates 'Offensive' Tweets About DACA but Not Anti-Trump Facebook Posts
NANCY WEBSITE HEADSHOT 1
By Nancy Price, Multimedia Journalist
Published 5 years ago on
June 16, 2020

Share

Fresno Unified School District has launched another investigation of an employee’s social media postings that have been deemed offensive.

“Fresno Unified recognizes that we need to provide an environment in which all our students feel safe. Our schools need to be a safe place for our undocumented youth and their families.” — Fresno Unified statement

The latest investigation involves a staffer at Design Science Middle College High School who reportedly tweeted in 2017 and 2018 about immigration and the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, or DACA.

The program provides protection from deportation for young adults who were brought to the United States as children but whose families did not immigrate legally.

Fresno Unified provided no additional information about the nature of the employee’s tweets, which the district became aware of on Sunday. Members of the community and students had asked the district to take action.

“Fresno Unified recognizes that we need to provide an environment in which all our students feel safe. Our schools need to be a safe place for our undocumented youth and their families,” the district said in a news release Monday evening.

When to Investigate ‘Offensive’ Speech?

But trustee Terry Slatic on Monday questioned why the district is investigating the Middle Science employee but not a middle school principal who reportedly has posted anti-Trump messages on his Facebook page, prompting complaints about offensive speech from a parent.

The parent, who described herself as African American and a “hardcore Republican,” had complained in an email sent Friday to district leadership about the principal’s postings that she says are critical of President Donald Trump.

The parent, who described herself as African American and a “hardcore Republican,” had complained in an email sent Friday to district leadership about the principal’s postings that she says are critical of President Donald Trump. The parent said she was worried about sending her daughter to a middle school where the principal displayed open political bias.

In an email this morning to superintendent Bob Nelson and human resources executive director Paul Idsvoog, Slatic questioned why the district was speedy to investigate the Design Science complaint but not the middle school complaint.

“I have checked, incidentally, that The First Amendment doesn’t say ‘Freedom of speech with which you agree,’ ” Slatic’s email said.

Other Investigations Underway

Slatic told GV Wire℠ that he’s concerned that Fresno Unified is opening itself to lawsuits if it investigates some complaints but not others.

As for calling some speech offensive, Slatic said, “Do you want to get on this slippery slope?”

Fresno Unified spokeswoman Nikki Henry said Tuesday afternoon that the district would have no comment other than what was included in Monday’s news release, “as these are personnel matters.”

The district already is investigating several Hoover High School staffers for an “extremely hurtful” incident during a year-end virtual celebration and a Kings Canyon Middle School teacher for Facebook posts criticizing the violence and looting that occurred during some of the protests about the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police.

Clovis Unified Investigation

And, Clovis Unified is investigating the Snapchat posts of a Buchanan High School student.

District spokeswoman Kelly Avants said last week that the student’s posts were “deeply disturbing.”

An online petition calling for the Buchanan student’s expulsion had 7,800 signatures as of Monday evening.

“Derogatory and inciting racial language and imagery such as was used in these messages has absolutely no place in our community and is contradictory to the character and ethics we expect from students in Clovis Unified,” Avants said.

DON'T MISS

SpaceX Delays Flight to Replace NASA’s Stuck Astronauts After Launch Pad Problem

DON'T MISS

49ers Cut 2 More Players, Increasing Dead Cap Charge to More Than $86 Million

DON'T MISS

Did Chavez Use Public Funds to Support Wife’s Campaign? Arambula Asks for Probe

DON'T MISS

Two Men Identified as Suspects in Fresno County 2016 Double Homicide

DON'T MISS

Fresno Candidate Brandon Vang and Wife May Lee Emotionally Respond to Attack Mailer

DON'T MISS

Chargers Sign Former Steelers Running Back Najee Harris and Cornerback Donte Jackson

DON'T MISS

After Fresno Unified Student Dies, District Punishes Whistleblower: Lawsuit

DON'T MISS

USDA Ends Program That Helped Schools Serve Food From Local Farmers

DON'T MISS

Military Leaders Warn of Risks to Armed Forces’ Readiness in Temporary Funding Bill

DON'T MISS

Education Dept. Layoffs Gut Its Civil Rights Office, Leaving Discrimination Cases in Limbo

UP NEXT

Kuwait Frees a Group of Jailed Americans, Including Contractors Held on Drug Charges

UP NEXT

Trump’s EPA Plans to Close All Environmental Justice Offices

UP NEXT

How and When to Watch Thursday Night’s Blood Moon Total Eclipse

UP NEXT

This Time Around for Fresno State, DOG Stands for ‘Day of Giving.’ And It’s Coming Soon

UP NEXT

Special Ed Teachers Are Hard to Recruit. Here’s How Clovis Unified Is Succeeding.

UP NEXT

Central Unified Superintendent Steps Down, School Board Announces

UP NEXT

President Trump’s Many Golf Trips Are Costing Taxpayers Millions Per Outing

UP NEXT

Lake Superior Shipwreck From 1892 Finally Discovered

UP NEXT

FBI Joins Search for Missing US Student in Dominican Republic

UP NEXT

Washington Post Columnist Quits After Her Opinion Piece Criticizing Owner Is Rejected

Nancy Price,
Multimedia Journalist
Nancy Price is a multimedia journalist for GV Wire. A longtime reporter and editor who has worked for newspapers in California, Florida, Alaska, Illinois and Kansas, Nancy joined GV Wire in July 2019. She previously worked as an assistant metro editor for 13 years at The Fresno Bee. Nancy earned her bachelor's and master's degrees in journalism at Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism. Her hobbies include singing with the Fresno Master Chorale and volunteering with Fresno Filmworks. You can reach Nancy at 559-492-4087 or Send an Email

Two Men Identified as Suspects in Fresno County 2016 Double Homicide

10 hours ago

Fresno Candidate Brandon Vang and Wife May Lee Emotionally Respond to Attack Mailer

11 hours ago

Chargers Sign Former Steelers Running Back Najee Harris and Cornerback Donte Jackson

11 hours ago

After Fresno Unified Student Dies, District Punishes Whistleblower: Lawsuit

11 hours ago

USDA Ends Program That Helped Schools Serve Food From Local Farmers

11 hours ago

Military Leaders Warn of Risks to Armed Forces’ Readiness in Temporary Funding Bill

11 hours ago

Education Dept. Layoffs Gut Its Civil Rights Office, Leaving Discrimination Cases in Limbo

11 hours ago

Trump to Name Michelle Bowman as Top Bank Regulator at Federal Reserve

12 hours ago

Kuwait Frees a Group of Jailed Americans, Including Contractors Held on Drug Charges

12 hours ago

Senate Democrats Balk at Funding Extension, Raising the Risk of a Shutdown

12 hours ago

SpaceX Delays Flight to Replace NASA’s Stuck Astronauts After Launch Pad Problem

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — A launch pad problem prompted SpaceX to delay a flight to the International Space Station on Wednesday to replace NAS...

9 hours ago

9 hours ago

SpaceX Delays Flight to Replace NASA’s Stuck Astronauts After Launch Pad Problem

9 hours ago

49ers Cut 2 More Players, Increasing Dead Cap Charge to More Than $86 Million

10 hours ago

Did Chavez Use Public Funds to Support Wife’s Campaign? Arambula Asks for Probe

Jonathan Morales Ramos (left), 27, of Soledad, and Erik Madrigal Garcia, 26, of Orosi, have been arrested in connection with a 2016 gang-related double homicide near Reedley, the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office said. (Fresno County SO)
10 hours ago

Two Men Identified as Suspects in Fresno County 2016 Double Homicide

11 hours ago

Fresno Candidate Brandon Vang and Wife May Lee Emotionally Respond to Attack Mailer

11 hours ago

Chargers Sign Former Steelers Running Back Najee Harris and Cornerback Donte Jackson

11 hours ago

After Fresno Unified Student Dies, District Punishes Whistleblower: Lawsuit

11 hours ago

USDA Ends Program That Helped Schools Serve Food From Local Farmers

Help continue the work that gets you the news that matters most.

Search

Send this to a friend