South Jersey School Board VP Resigns After Posting Racist Comments to Facebook

The vice president of the Monroe Township school board has walked away from his job after he made racist comments on Facebook.

Commenting on a news story on Facebook about the rise in gun violence in New York City that saw 18 shootings in one day, Jeff Simpler reportedly wrote, “Well, there is one way to stop this [expletive], since they seem to wanna keep it up. As much as I hate to say this. Stay out of the way, and let them kill each other sooner or later they will run out of other Black people to kill.”

Unsurprisingly, a screenshot of Simpler's remarks made its way to the school board, according to The Philadelphia Inquirer, and as a result, he tendered his immediate resignation as vice president this past Saturday.

In a statement released this week, Monroe Twp. school officials said, “We have been made aware that a former Board member made very troubling public comments on social media. It is important our community realize these comments do not reflect the Monroe Township Public Schools and the Board of Education. While it is sad that a statement is necessary, given the sentiments that were expressed, the Monroe Township Public Schools and the Board of Education stand for equality, integrity, and most of all, racial equity.”

Simpler has since deleted his social media accounts.

I'm personally disgusted that someone who would not only hold but express such hatred like the kind Jeff Simpler posted was in a compensated position to make decisions about students and their education. Moreover, I'm disappointed the school district's statement about Simpler called his comments 'troubling', instead of what they are: flat out racist.

SOURCES: The Philadelphia Inquirer

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