Brody's Notes... Arkansas Dept Of Education Condemns Statement By Midland School Board Member

By Brody Levesque (Washington DC) OCT 27 | The following statement was released this afternoon by a spokesman for the Arkansas Department of Education regarding the personal Facebook page Anti-Gay posts by Midland Schools School Board member Clint McCance calling for all Gay persons to kill themselves

"The Arkansas Department of Education strongly condemns remarks or attitudes of this kind and is dismayed to see that a school board official would post something of this insensitive nature on a public forum like Facebook. Because Mr. McCance is an elected official, the department has no means of dealing with him directly. However, the department does have staff who investigate matters of bullying in schools and we will monitor and quickly respond to any bullying of students that may occur because of this, as we have with other civil rights issues in the past."

McCance, a member of the Midland School District school board in rural Independence County Arkansas, located 85 miles northeast of the state capital of Little Rock, had posted the following statement on his Facebook page regarding last Thursday's Spirit Day:

"Seriously they want me to wear purple because five queers committed suicide. The only way im wearin it for them is if they all commit suicide. I cant believe the people of this world have gotten this stupid. We are honoring the fact that they sinned and killed therselves because of their sin. REALLY PEOPLE."

As comments expressing outrage or disgust with his position were left on that page, McCance then responded with this entry:

"... because being a fag doesnt give you the right to ruin the rest of our lives. If you get easily offended by being called a fag then dont tell anyone you are a fag. Keep that shit to yourself. I dont care how people decide to live their lives. They dont bother me if they keep it to thereselves. It pisses me off though that we make a special purple fag day for them. I like that fags cant procreate. I also enjoy the fact that they often give each other aids and die. If you arent against it, you might as well be for it.” 

McCance then added this comment as the thread progressed:

 “I would disown my kids if they were gay. They will not be welcome at my home or in my vicinity. I will absolutely run them off. Of course my kids will know better. My kids will have solid christian beliefs. See it infects everyone.”

Arkansas Department of Education spokeswoman Julie Thompson told journalists inquiring about the McCance controversy:

"The department also has worked with the State’s Office of the Attorney General during the month of October to provide training to counselors across the state regarding cyberbullying, “sexting” and texting, which included a portion on how to watch for and deal with issues of this kind."

When asked about the possibility of being removed from the school board, Thompson said;

“In Arkansas law, the only way to recall a school board member is over a felony [committed by him or her] or absentee issues."

Thompson says McCance, as an elected official, answers to voters, not Midland school district’s superintendent. 

“[The Arkansas Department of Education] doesn’t have any control over his job,” she pointed out.

UPDATES From The Arkansas News Bureau:
Arkansas State Education Commissioner Tom Kimbrell condemned the comments

“The divisiveness and disruption of these comments cause me to seriously question the ability of Mr. McCance to remain as an effective member of the Midland School Board,” Kimbrell said in a statement.

The education commissioner said he had expressed his concerns to the Midland School District superintendent and board members.

“They are aware of my strong feelings concerning this matter and I know they share in my grave concern,” Kimbrell said. “Along with the members of my staff, I will continue to closely monitor this situation.”

Dean Stanley, superintendent of the Midland School District, released a statement today chastising McCance for the comments.

“The Midland School District, board of directors, administration, faculty and staff do not support or condone the comments Mr. Clint McCance posted on his personal social networking page,” Stanley said. “Mr. McCance was not acting as an agent of the school board, but as a private citizen when his comment was posted. This post does not reflect the thoughts of the board or administration of the Midland School District.”

UPDATE FROM MSNBC: [ via Joe.My.God ] 
MSNBC's Thomas Roberts discusses the Clint McCance story with the editor of The Arkansas Times Newspaper: