SHAWANO, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — The Vice President of the Shawano School District Board of Education is speaking out after a school board member’s controversial Facebook post.
School Board Member Mart Grams’ weekend post reading “You know George Floyd is drug free for 2 months” caused immediate backlash over the weekend.
“I was shocked, stunned, and tremendously disappointed,” Board Vice President Michael Sleeper said.
Floyd died in May, after a Minneapolis police officer kneeled on his neck during an arrest. The medical examiner’s autopsy found opioids and meth in his system.
“Mr. Grams cannot continue to act this way and represent our district,” a member said. “It is tearing our district apart in a mere 20 hours. I’ve received emails, phone calls from around the world.”
“We respect, totally respect first amendment rights for each and every one of us,” Sleeper said. “It is our view that when one is a elected official the bar is raised.”
Grams was not at an emergency meeting called on Sunday
“We all have our own individual political and personal views… and are free to express them. He has been very prolific in expressing his,” Sleeper said.
In a unanimous vote, the board passed a resolution condemning Grams’ post.
WTAQ reached out to Grams for an interview on Monday, but our calls were not returned.
Later, Grams wrote on Facebook: “I would like to apologize to everyone for my comment about George Floyd. It was insensitive of me to post something like that on Facebook or even to say out loud.”
Sleeper says the comments hurt the district’s image.
“It can erode the position, the acceptance of the entire board, and this district as a whole. We emphatically state those statements do not reflect the values of the board, of our employees, nor of the community as a whole.”
Grams can’t be removed by the school board, because he is an elected official. He can only be removed by a judge’s order, or a public recall… or by his own resignation.
Sleeper says he believes a recall is in the works.
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