A Twin Cities public school librarian is facing scrutiny after taking to social media to wish suffering upon conservative commentator Dennis Prager, who was recently hospitalized following a back injury and diagnosed with pneumonia.
Dianne Kersteter, an elementary school library media specialist in Independent School District 196 (ISD 196), which serves the Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan area, didn’t mince words in a recent post on X (formerly Twitter).
“Painful,” “slow,” and “agonizing” was the type of suffering she hoped Prager would endure, following news of the 76-year-old’s hospitalization for a severe back injury suffered during a bad fall.
Dianne Kersteter, an elementary school library media specialist at @ISD196schools in MN says she hopes Dennis Prager's suffering is “painful, slow, and agonizing” after he was hospitalized from a bad fall and then was diagnosed with pneumonia.
These are the people educating your… pic.twitter.com/RJXibWfbXK
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) November 27, 2024
According to Kersteter’s LinkedIn profile, she has been with ISD 196 since 2019, though she is no longer listed on the district’s website.
An archived version of the ISD 196 website shows her profile as a library specialist at Southview Elementary School in Apple Valley.
In another post on X last month, Kersteter referenced a potential Antifa assault on a Minnesota conservative columnist and operative.
“Has Dennis Prager died yet? Because I hope not. I hope he suffers. A lot,” she reportedly wrote in another post. Her X account has since been deleted.
This lady not only wishes death on @DennisPrager, but she apparently called on Antifa to assault me. https://t.co/AUfhmJ72WL pic.twitter.com/z8y02qNbrO
— Dustin Grage (@GrageDustin) November 27, 2024
School district’s response
Alpha News contacted District 196 for a response, and Communications Director Janet Swiecichowski provided the following statement:
“District 196 is aware of the post. The employee’s post does not reflect the values or opinions of the district. The district is reviewing the matter, but we cannot comment on personnel matters.”
The district also referred Alpha News to its regulations on employee use of social media.
In part, it reads: “The decision to make personal use of public online social media is left to the discretion of each employee. District 196 does not affirmatively monitor employee use of public online social media; however, it may take appropriate responsive action when it becomes aware of, or suspects, conduct or communication on a public online social media site that adversely affects the workplace or violates applicable professional codes of ethics.”
Jenna Gloeb
Jenna Gloeb is an Edward R. Murrow Award-winning journalist, media producer, public speaker, and screenwriter. Most recently, she worked as a reporter and on-air host for CCX Media. Jenna is a Minnesota native and resides in the Twin Cities with her husband, son, daughter, and two dogs.
