Jane Wood Allen learned the hard way on Monday after she was fired for posting comments on Facebook calling First Lady Michelle Obama a gorilla.
Prior to Monday, Jane worked as a teacher’s aide at Gainesville’s Chestatee Elementary School.
via AJC:
A release from Forsyth County Schools says: “Racism and discrimination are not tolerated in our school district. We are committed to ongoing staff training on the acceptance of all individuals. As this is a personnel matter, the district will provide no further comment.”
Allen threw herself into the spotlight when she wrote a response to the Facebook site Opposing Views, which noted that First Lady Obama continues to top the list of most admired women in the world.
“Do you admire her?” Opposing Views asked.
One of Allen’s response is:
“I admire a gorilla more than I admire her. (Wait, I forgot. She is a gorilla)! If she was a real First Lady, she would not have used and abused her title, by thinking that she is entitled to go on all the trips that she takes every other day. But most of all wasted all of our tax payers money. She is the worst example of a First Lady ever! (Or sorry, I meant gorilla, not First Lady)!”
The comparison of African Americans to monkeys has a long history in racist literature and actions.
Read the school district’s full statement below. Bye Jane!