Mansfield school employee who called Black people ‘monkeys’ on social media resigns
A Mansfield school employee resigned Friday after school district officials received word that a post she made on social media called Black people monkeys and said if they did not like it they should “go back to Africa.”
Mansfield Independent School District was made aware late Thursday night of a staff member’s social media post, “which had racist and extremely inappropriate language,” Mansfield schools spokesman Donald Williams said in a written statement.
“The district does not tolerate any type of hateful speech or behavior and takes these types of situations very seriously,” the statement said. “The employee in question has since resigned and no longer works for the district.”
“MISD is committed to creating a working and learning environment that is inclusive to all and does not condone any type of action that would violate that right,” the statement concluded.
District officials identified the employee as school secretary Angela Brooke Hurt, who began working for the district in June 2019.
Screenshots of the post shared widely on social media identify her as Brooke Bartholomew Hurt.
Hurt’s Facebook profile appears to have been taken down, but screenshots show she listed her job as secretary to the principal at James Coble Middle School. The school’s website lists the principal’s secretary as Angela Hurt.
Hurt couldn’t be reached for comment Friday.
According to screenshots, the Facebook post said, “Loot we Shoot. Kill all those black monkeys if you don’t like it go back to Africa. #WeSupportAPD.”
The Coble Middle School Parent Teacher Association was also notified of the post and created its own post in response.
“The post is alarming, inappropriate, and not reflective of the values of Coble Middle School PTA,” the PTA post said. “We have forwarded the information to the School District and administration for further investigation.”
A parent with students who attended James Coble Middle School said she became aware of the post on Friday and immediately started contacting school district officials.
“I was upset by the racial slurs,” said Shante Leonard. “I attended the (Black Lives Matter) protest in Mansfield last Friday. To see this and know that my children went to this school, it makes you wonder how she treated children of color. She called us monkeys and told us to go back to Africa.”
Other parents also are upset, said Leonard, who lives in Arlington but within the Mansfield school district borders.
Leonard said she received an emailed message from Raul Gonzalez, Mansfield school board trustee, who thanked her for bringing the issue with the Coble Middle School employee to his attention.
Gonzalez’s statement said the post is completely unacceptable from anyone, particularly a person working in a school.
“Board members do not deal directly with personnel matters but please know that I have spoken to Mansfield ISD Administration and this employee has been dealt with,” the email said. “I cannot comment further on an issue with an employee however please know that this type of comment will not be tolerated by anyone working for our district.
“Mansfield ISD and all our students, families, and staff members are enriched by the wonderful diversity of our community,” Gonzalez wrote. “We are stronger together.”
Kimberly Adkins, a parent with two children who attend the school, said she and other parents were notified about the posts by someone who did not want to be identified, but wanted to let Coble parents know what was going on.
“Parents were saying that it was scary,” Adkins said. “These are individuals who are keeping white supremacy alive.”
Parents were also saying that the author of the post should be fired because, if not, she could get a job at another school district, Adkins said.
This story was originally published June 12, 2020 at 4:30 PM.
