Recommendation: Remove and censure Fayette school board member from equity council
The Fayette Equity Council Committee is recommending that Fayette school board member Amanda Ferguson be removed from the equity council committee and publicly censured because of social media posts she made in late May.
At issue were a laughing emoji and a GIF depicting a Furby interactive toy that Ferguson posted in late May on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Ferguson declined to comment to the Herald-Leader about the equity council committee’s recommendations after Monday’s meeting. But she apologized at a June 4 district Equity Council Committee Meeting for social media posts that have received criticism. She represents the school board on the equity council committee.
Ferguson said at the June 4 meeting her posts were in response to a post from the account of “That Nema” -- Ky 120 United-AFT Co-Founder Nema Brewer, who Ferguson said was a friend.
Under a photo of Fayette County Education Association President Jessica Hiler , Brewer posted, in part, “I didn’t realize Hiler was the new FCPS mascot.”
In response, Ferguson posted a laughing emoji
The Fayette County Education Association, which is an arm of the Kentucky Education Association, and KY 120 United -- AFT have at times have had conflicts.
Ferguson said she initially posted the GIF of the Furby in the wrong spot on her personal X account so it appeared to be in response to an “offensive” comment“ from a third poster who Ferguson noted did not give their true identity.
That post said, “Who’s the lesbian on the left?” Ferguson had initially posted the GIF of the Furby under that comment.
She said she did not make the comment, “Who’s the lesbian on the left” or intentionally respond to it. She said she later moved, but did not delete, her post.
“In no way was it meant to spark hate of any particular group, of any particular person,” Ferguson said at the meeting. “My intent is never to offend anyone. “
The Fayette County Public Schools board Monday voted to send the recommendations and others from the equity council committee to their board attorney Joshua M. Salsburey for review.
Soraya Matthews, the district’s chief officer of Unity, Belonging & Student Efficacy, presented recommendations from the board’s Equity Council Committee to the school board. The recommendations were prefaced with a statement that said the social media content “promotes hate against the LGBTQ community.’’
“Remove Amanda Ferguson, effective immediately, as the board representative to the (Equity Council Committee),” one recommendation said.
That recommendation also said a different board member should be reassigned to the equity council committee.
“Allowing Mrs. Ferguson to continue to serve as the representative for the ECC sends a contradictory and harmful message to our students, staff, families and school community,” the recommendation said.
It said Ferguson’s return to the council committee may be “considered in subsequent school years.”
Another recommendation said the school board should “publicly censure and admonish the improper conduct “of Ferguson by releasing a statement that such behavior is unacceptable.
Other recommendations were for the board to investigate the allegations of misconduct against Ferguson, adopt a social media policy and to require board members to participate in training on cultural competency, implicit bias and equity.
On another issue, the board is also asking the attorney to review the equity council committee’s recommendations -- requested by the school board -- on renaming certain Fayette County Public Schools.
