Teacher Assaulted
Another teacher in St. Paul Public Schools, this time at St. Paul’s Creative Arts Academy, was assaulted by a student. The 63 year old substitute teacher, Candice Egan, was teaching a class when she asked a 7th grade student to put his cellphone away. The student refused to comply with her requests. Egan told police that when she took the student’s cellphone the student stood up and pushed her in the upper chest, took back the cellphone and shoved her again. The student was taken to the office and there is no evidence that the teacher was hurt during the incident.
Black Lives Matter Disrupts St. Paul Public Schools Board Meeting with a “Rally”
Black Lives Matter St. Paul (led by House District 65A candidate, Rashad Turner) showed up at the March 22, 2016 St. Paul Public Schools board meeting to demand the firing of special education teacher, Theo Olson, who is currently on paid administrative leave after BLM-SP threatened to “shut down” Como Park High School over Olson’s Facebook posts, which the group claims were racist. As Alpha News previously reported, Theo Olson was put on paid administrative leave after Rashad Turner met with SPPS Superintendent Silva, at which time Turner and BLM-St. Paul agreed to not protest at Como Park Senior High.
The board meeting turned contentious when an older white man stood to speak in defense of Theo Olson’s freedom of speech, people in the crowd began yelling at him, accusing him of speaking “in coded language” about their kids. Superintendent Silva and the board members left the room until peace was restored.
Theo Olson is on paid administrative leave while SPPS completes its investigation into his Facebook posts.
In February of this year, Black Lives Matter St. Paul threatened to “shut down” the Red Bull Crashed Ice event in downtown St. Paul after a police officer had posted controversial remarks on Facebook regarding a BLM protest. The “Black Crashed Ice” protest was cancelled after the police officer, Jeff Rothecker, resigned and St. Paul leaders agreed to address some of BLM’s demands.
Another SPPS Employee on Paid Administrative Leave for Social Media Posts
The St. Paul Pioneer Press is reporting another SPPS employee has been placed on paid administrative leave. Bria White Jr., who is African-American and once worked in the district’s equity office, wrote several posts on his personal Facebook page supporting traditional gender roles and criticizing African-American feminists and NBA players who have appeared in State Farm commercials in women’s clothing.
In response to a friend’s comment on the meme, White added, “I believe in gender roles and responsibilities.”
The reason White was placed on leave is private, but St. Paul Public Schools spokesman Jerry Skelly said Friday that the district was “aware of Mr. Brian White’s comments on social media.”
Members of a Facebook group highlighted White’s statements this month, soon after Como Park Senior High teacher Theo Olson was placed on leave after controversial social media posts.
Tasha Rose, who has children in the district, complained to human resources and school board members after engaging with White on Facebook and reading some of the posts on his page. She said she considered them misogynistic and homophobic. ~ St. Paul Pioneer Press
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Andrea Mayer-Bruestle
Andrea Mayer-Bruestle is a former writer for Alpha News.
