LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Members of the Kentucky General Assembly are calling for the resignation of the Jefferson County Public Schools chief equity officer after his remarks on social media.
John Marshall has been the Chief Equity Officer for JCPS since 2012. On Monday, he made a post on X saying the "majority" of white people could "care less" about Black people and want to harm them.
"This is an outrageously inflammatory public statement for anyone in a civilized society to make," the release from members of the assembly said.
On Monday, Marshall made a social media post about students who asked him for advice.
"A few young(er) Black professionals & students called me this morning & asked, 'What's a strategy moving forward?' My response, 'REGARDLESS of the rooms, meetings, classes, etc., you're in, know THE MAJORITY of whites could care less about you & have no issues harming you or yours,'" the post said.
"What he said is virulently racist, it instigates violence on behalf of students and he needs to be gone before school starts tomorrow," said Kentucky Rep. Jason Nemes of Middletown.
JCPS Board of Education chairman Corrie Schull defended Marshall in an interview with WHAS11 News.
"The Tweet is a really clear mirror for the GOP caucus, and the way that many people see their policies and see their advocacy of unmitigated white supremacy," Schull said.
Marshall continued to say "Strategy. Count the number in your presence and divide by at least half. That's where you start."
Many of the comments underneath the post are angry at Marshall's comments and accuse him of being racist.
The assembly members acknowledge Marshall's statements are protected by the First Amendment as a private citizen but they don't think someone in a position of authority should make such statements.
"As an officer of the government, speaking in an official capacity at taxpayer expense, such reckless speech inciting hatred based on skin color should be grounds for immediate termination," the press release said. "In the current heated political climate of America, it is absolutely unacceptable for a senior JCPS leader to stoke the fires of hatred and division rather than set an example of bringing students together in peace."
Schull said it's "hypocritical" to teach students about First Amendment rights, but reprimand Marshall for "a Tweet that reflected his opinions and reflections to what is happening nationally."
The release says this isn't the first time Marshall has made statements like this and says the Chief Equity Officer's social media "contains numerous divisive statements."
"This particular comment made to students is disgusting, it's racist at the core and it instigates violence," Nemes said. "What he told African American students was that the majority of white people want to hurt you."
The assembly members who signed the release say if Marshall does not resign they will ask the JCPS Board and Superintendent to fire him.
"He can say these things as a citizen, but he cannot say these kinds of things making $200,000 as the Chief Equity Officer at JCPS," Nemes said.
Raoul Cunningham, the president of the NAACP in Louisville, sent the following statement to WHAS11 News:
Today Republican members of the Jefferson County delegation to the Kentucky General Assembly called for the resignation of Dr. John Marshall. Where were they last week when racist text was sent to African Americans in Louisville? Where were they when the US Department of Justice issued a scathing indictment of LMPD and the City of Louisville? Where were they when a member of their delegation made the ridiculous statement that her father was a slave? Where were they when Donald Trump made disparaging statements about predominately African American cities?
This is the first time that I am aware of that this group of legislators have ever spoken as a group on any matter regarding race or human relations. I believe they are appealing to their political base and laying the groundwork for splitting the Jefferson County School District.
Here are the assembly members who signed the release:
- Jared Bauman, State Representative, Jefferson 28
- Kevin Bratcher, State Representative, Jefferson 29
- Emily Callaway, State Representative, Jefferson 37
- Ken Fleming, State Representative, Jefferson 48
- John Hodgson, State Representative, Jefferson 36
- Jason Nemes, State Representative, Jefferson 33
- Susan Tyler Witten, State Representative, Jefferson 31
- Chris Lewis, State Representative-Elect, Jefferson 29
- Julie Raque-Adams, State Senator, Jefferson 36
- Lindsey Tichenor, State Senator, Jefferson 06
- Matt Deneen, State Senator, Jefferson 10
- Mike Nemes, State Senator, Jefferson 38
- Adrienne Southworth, State Senator, Jefferson 07
- Aaron Reed, State Senator-Elect, Jefferson 07
All members who signed are Republicans and all represent Jefferson County.