St. Marys school board member's words called racist

Credit: DaytonDailyNews

Comments posted online by a St. Marys school board member are being described as racist and are causing debate and controversy in that community.

Wednesday night was the first time the school board met since board member Bob Valentine on Feb. 13 posted a 770-word statement on pay raises for teachers to an online discussion board called "Grand Lake Chat."

The following is part of what he posted and what is causing the controversy:

"Sure, you can go to the inner city and possibly get a little more but take a look at the cost of living there, to say nothing of getting mugged, raped and your throat slit all for giving Brother Deonta a bad grade."

St. Marys City Schools District Superintendent Shawn Brown issued a statement expressing disappointment in Valentine's comments.

"I don't want people to have the perception that we support what I believe to be racially insensitive comments," Brown said.

"The district feels compelled to affirmatively state its displeasure and disappointment in Mr. Valentine's disturbing remarks," Brown said. "His comments are contrary to our school's mission and, frankly, are an embarrassment to the district."

The St. Marys Education Association, which represents 132 educators in the district, is upset and is threatening to file a grievance against Valentine. Union officials said his comments are "disparaging and racist in nature" and violate the collective bargaining agreement.

Wednesday night, Valentine told News Center 7's Kate Bartley, "this is a totally manufactured crisis. At this point, I stand by what I said. I stand by how I said it."

He said he posted the comments as a private citizen and the comments have nothing to do with race.

"Are we not all brothers and sisters? I know I use that term on a regular basis," Valentine said.

"Deonta is not a name that is exclusively to one or another race. I looked that name up on the Internet, and I found that its roots are French aristocracy. Take it from there."

Valentine said he's sorry if people misunderstood his intent.

Brown, for his part in leading the district, said, "I needed to get out on the front end and address this issue and make it clear that that's not the school's stance on things.

"I don't know that his intentions were what they were," Brown said Valentine's posted comments, "but perception sometimes is reality."

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