LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Civil rights groups are calling for a Jefferson County Board of Education member to step down after comments a fellow board member called "racially insensitive, if not racist."
During a presentation that mentioned black students with special needs being disproportionately punished in the district, board member Linda Duncan commented that people "do not act in proportionate numbers."
"I feel like we're focused so much on decreasing the numbers that appear in disproportionality that we're not focused on the behaviors that have been identified," Duncan said.
She then used a basketball analogy to explain her argument.
"If we did that with our basketball teams, they would look entirely different than what they look like right now," Duncan said.
Duncan then said "African Americans are only 37% of the population, so therefore our basketball teams should only be 37% of the population."
Fellow board member Chris Kolb commented on Duncan's statement later in the meeting, saying he was concerned about her remarks.
"I find it at the very least very racially insensitive, if not racist," Kolb said.
Board member James Craig also commented that analogies like Duncan's are "more harmful" than helpful.
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Duncan said the analogy was just a random example, saying "that particular example everybody can relate to."
JCPS Chief of Schools Devon Horton responded to the comments on Twitter, questioning if her comments were an example of macroaggression or racism.
Louisville Urban League President and CEO Sadiqa Reynolds called for Duncan to be "be relieved of her duties" Wednesday morning, saying Duncan's comments do not represent a district that educates a diverse student body.
"We don't want to be led by a board populated by the lowest standard bearers in matters of equity, inclusion, or disparity," Reynolds said. "The stakes are too high for our children, workforce and economy."
Louisville's Black Lives Matter organization also tweeted, "She must resign."
"I didn't say anything that rose to the level of this outrage that's coming out," said Duncan on Wednesday.
She said she has no plans to resign.
"No, I'm not going to give into bullying," she said.
Duncan said she is being misrepresented in what she was trying to say and the problem she was trying to address.
"I think it's a very difficult standard to just say everybody should earn grades proportionately according to the percent of the population they represent," said Duncan. "That was what I was saying. If I said anything inaccurate then that's something that I can address, but I challenge anyone to say what I said that was inaccurate."
Duncan taught at Fairdale Junior High, Fairdale High School and Southern High School before becoming an assistant principal at Fairdale. Her biography said Duncan coached girls' basketball and drill during her time as an educator. She has served on the Board of Education since 2006.
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