Cheshire parents push for answers after teachers placed on leave over viral video – NBC Connecticut

Parents in Cheshire are pressing for answers after a teacher was placed on leave over a “threatening video” aimed at people who voted for President-elect Donald Trump.

The video went viral after it was screen-recorded and re-shared online.

“I can’t miss it. And I can’t enter this school, I’m literally shaking. I cannot walk into this school and hand my child over to this person,” said mother Lori Barnes.

Cheshire parents made their voices heard at a city council meeting Tuesday night. Many expressed concern over a local teacher’s video that went viral.

In the video, the teacher can be seen saying: “You’re going to end up on a stretcher.” She has since been temporarily laid off from her job.

The teacher appears to be warning those who voted for Trump on her private social media account to stay away or else.

“It was a death threat. You know, those words ended up in the hands of law enforcement,” said Amy Bourdon of Cheshire.

People have mixed feelings about the situation.

“That’s what freedom of speech is for, so you can say what you feel,” said Prospect’s Verna Jones.

In a statement, Superintendent Jeffrey Solan acknowledged that the video showed one of her teachers sending a private message.

“She expressed her personal opinion and not that of Cheshire Public Schools. The person who filmed it then posted the video on social media. Cheshire Public Schools is reviewing this situation as a personnel matter and as such we are following all applicable laws,” Solan said in a statement.

“I hate to see someone lose their livelihood, but she shouldn’t be around children,” Barnes said.

City Council Chairman Peter Talbot spoke briefly about the video at the start of the meeting. He described the video as a “rant-filled tirade.”

“This type of rhetoric has no place in our society and serves absolutely no purpose. Cheshire, we are better than this. America, we are better than this,” Talbot said.

The school district has been inundated with calls and emails, mostly from people who are not from Cheshire, the superintendent said.

Cheshire Police are conducting their own investigation.

NBC Connecticut is still waiting for an update from the superintendent on the status of the teacher’s employment.