A music teacher from Idaho was fired for making sexually and racially charged comments about Boise Mayor Lauren McLean for her support for Black Lives Matter, according to reports on Thursday.
Rita Soltesz, who worked as a music teacher at the Idaho Fine Arts Academy (IFAA) and Eagle Middle School, made a comment on Facebook saying McLean should "get laid" with the members of Black Lives Members. Her comment was widely criticized by the parents of students, prompting the West Ada School district to look into the matter. The authorities confirmed Soletsz was no longer employed at the school. It remains unclear whether she was fired or told to resign.
Concerned Parents Express Objections
Soltesz made the comment on July 18 as a reply to a Facebook post on McLean's criticism of white supremacists who allegedly disrupted a Black Lives Matter protest in Boise.
"Her white supremacist hater a** needs to get laid! ... by BLM members," Soltesz's commented on the post. "Should be a group activity ... and make it go viral! ... I'm still deciding if they should wear masks during the activity."
Concerned parents took screenshots of the post. One Facebook user reportedly sent the screenshots to the IFAA Facebook page. The academy responded saying the school was taking "immediate action."
An Investigation Launched
The school district later confirmed that it received emails from several parents over Soltesz post. "We have received a number of emails from concerned parents and we share their concerns. The statements in the post don't reflect the values of the West Ada School District," West Ada School District spokesman Eric Exline said.
Authorities will have "to reiterate" its social media guidelines, Exline reportedly said. Soltesz and the Board of Trustees had a special meeting on July 24 about Soltesz, following which a decision was made, Exline added. The Boise Police Department reportedly launched an investigation into the comments made against the mayor.
