Official resigns after Confederate flag social media post
MADERA, Calif. (AP) — The president of the Madera County school board resigned after a post on her social media account displayed a Confederate flag and the phrase “I am proud to be white,” drew calls for her to step down.
Sara Wilkins, who has been a member of the board for 31 years, released a statement Thursday announcing her resignation, The Fresno Bee reported.
“After 47 years of service to the children of my community,” Wilkins wrote, “I have decided to retire and resign my position on the Madera County Board of Education.”
The social media post included a Confederate flag image and the statement: “’I’m proud to be white’ (sic) I bet no one passes this on because they are scared of (sic) be called a racist.”
An online petition calling for her resignation had more than 1,600 signatures as of Friday.
On Wednesday, Cecilia Massetti, the Madera County superintendent of schools, said she confirmed that the post was made from Wilkins’ social media account.
“The images that were posted on the account are not condoned and do not represent the Madera County Board of Education or the Madera County Superintendent of Schools,” Massetti said.
Wilkins is the second Fresno-area elected school official to resign abruptly this week after posting controversial statements on social media.
Central Unified School District Trustee Richard Atkins resigned Tuesday night during a school board meeting following demands for his resignation after he posted on Facebook that, “If you don’t love the country you live in then go back to the country you or your ancestors came from.”
Screenshots of the post were shared hundreds of times on social media.