Texas Teacher Fired After Racially Charged Tweet About Ferguson Shooting

A Texas teacher was fired Friday after sending a racially charged tweet about the shooting of teenager Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri.

Vinita Hegwood, a high school English teacher from the Dallas area, was placed on administrative leave after posting the expletive-filled tweet.

“Who the f*ck made you dumb duck a** crackers think I give a squat f*ck about your opinions about my opinions RE: #Ferguson? Kill yourselves.”

The tweet referenced the events in Ferguson, where teenager Michael Brown was shot and killed by officer Darren Wilson. Though some witnesses originally claimed that Brown has unarmed and had his hands up at the time of the shooting, others said he was fighting officer Wilson, and forensic evidence appeared to back that claim. Wilson is now facing a grand jury to see if he will face charges in the shooting.

The Texas teacher later took her Twitter page down, but the Duncanville School District still acted quickly to distance itself from Hegwood.

“As an individual, Ms. Vinita Hegwood expressed an opinion on social media that is solely her own. She used her personal social media account to make remarks that are offensive. While everyone has the right to free speech, as a teacher in the district, we believe the comments that are alleged to be made by Ms. Hegwood are absolutely reprehensible and we do not condone it.”

The district later met with Hegwood and recommended that she be terminated.

“Early this morning district officials met with Ms. Hegwood, the teacher who stated reprehensible personal opinions on her personal social media account. The district took swift action and exercised the fullest disciplinary action allowed under district policy. Ms. Hegwood was placed on suspension without pay pending discharge. Under state law, a school district’s Board of Trustees “fires” staff members, and the district will pursue that action with the board soon. In the meantime, the teacher has been placed on suspension without pay pending discharge.”

On Friday, the district’s board of trustees completed the process, leaving the Texas teacher fired.

“In a special meeting this morning, the Duncanville Independent School District Board of Trustees voted unanimously to terminate the teaching contract of Ms. Vinita Hegwood effective immediately,” the district said in a statement.

Before the Texas teacher was fired, she apologized for her comments.