Albert Gallatin school board member resigns, says Facebook was hacked
After racist posts appeared on the Facebook page of an Albert Gallatin school board member, he said his account was hacked and announced his resignation.
鈥淚t came to my attention (Thursday) afternoon that my personal Facebook account was hacked and inappropriate posts were made,鈥� school board member Bob Mangold wrote in a text message sent to a 缅北禁地 reporter Friday morning. 鈥淚 am saddened by any harm that these posts have caused the community.鈥�
鈥淎t this time, I plan to resign from the Albert Gallatin School Board effective immediately to avoid further conflict and further harm to myself and my family,鈥� Mangold wrote.
At least two racist tweets were posted on his account this week. One was a meme depicting a black child with a speech bubble saying 鈥淎re you my dad?鈥� and a group of black men running away. The caption on the meme, which was not written by Mangold personally, said, 鈥淧olice deploy special tactics to disperse protesters.鈥� Another meme said those offended by the idea of taking down the Confederate flag should pull their pants up.
Ryan Reed, a 2003 Albert Gallatin graduate who had Mangold as a health teacher in high school, said the memes were not isolated incidents. He said he has seen 鈥渟ly comments鈥� from Mangold related to protesters. The post perpetuating stereotypes of black children living in fatherless homes pushed him over the edge, he said.
鈥淚鈥檓 a black man. I had a father in my home all my life. I鈥檓 a father myself and I鈥檓 a father to my kids,鈥� he said.
Reed said he was surprised by the post, saying as a student, he did not observe racist behavior from Mangold in health class.
鈥淚t was a little heartbreaking, because these are the teachers you look up to,鈥� he said.
Reed, who now lives in Brownsville, said he observed systemic racism as a student and in the years after school. He said he would like to move his children back into the school district, but wants to see a change. Children of color and from poor backgrounds did not have the same advantages, he said, because of 鈥減olitics, bigotry and blatant racism.鈥�
鈥淭here鈥檚 been so much of this going on for years, but it鈥檚 covered up. It鈥檚 swept under the rug,鈥� he said, adding that the problems are not confined to one school district.
He said he did not have any full-time black teachers in school, and said it is important for children to see minority representation.
鈥淭heir mindset, when they see that, is 鈥業 can do this, just like he can do this,'鈥� Reed said. 鈥淵ou can鈥檛 even go to a school, or many jobs around here where you can see someone like you and say 鈥業 can do that too.'鈥�
Reed said he would consider running for the school board to increase its diversity in both race and economic background.
鈥淎s for the common man, there鈥檚 no mouthpiece,鈥� he said.
Reed referenced a long history of violence against black people, and said he would expect a former teacher to know that history. He said he hopes protests condemning the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis will lead to change in systemic racism and lead to equal opportunities for people of color.
鈥淚鈥檓 tired of going back and forth. We don鈥檛 want to just do something for five minutes. We want actual change,鈥� he said.
鈥淚t鈥檚 sad around this area,鈥� he added. 鈥淯nfortunately, no one really wants to face it. But let鈥檚 make them face it. The times are changing and it鈥檚 time for that change.鈥�
Mangold was elected to the Albert Gallatin Area School District board to serve a four-year term on the school board in November and was selected to serve a three-year term at the Fayette County Career and Technical Institute鈥檚 joint operating committee in December.
鈥淒uring my time on the board, I tried to prioritize quality education, and as a result, I became a target,鈥� Mangold said.
In his resignation message, Mangold said another school board member threatened him with physical violence April 6. His Facebook page had been taken down Friday morning.
Albert Gallatin Superintendent Christopher Pegg issued a statement Thursday afternoon, distancing the school from the posts and saying the school promotes equality and denounces racism.
They will hold a special meeting at 6 p.m. Sunday to appoint a new member.
A petition circulated Friday asking for Mangold鈥檚 resignation and asking the board to condemn racial bias. It had 59 signatures after five hours.
鈥淎dditionally, an amendment to the school board policies should be made which declaratively condemns racial bias in the interactions of its future board members,鈥� the petition said. 鈥淎fter such actions are taken, the board should seek to educate themselves and provide community education on the topics of racial inequity in education. If we can鈥檛 have equality in our schools, we cannot seek to have equality elsewhere. Our children deserve better.鈥�