A Michigan school board member has doubled down on her racist comments against white people after her parents confronted her for making the remark. Kesha Hamilton, a member of the Jackson Public school board, posted a tweet in December stating that “whiteness is evil.”
“Whiteness is so evil.. it manipulates then says, I won’t apologize for my dishonesty and trauma-inducing practices and thinks you should applaud it for being honest about its ability to manipulate and be dishonest..’” Hamilton tweeted.
Whiteness is so evil.. it manipulates then says, I won’t apologize for my dishonesty and trauma inducing practices and thinks you should applaud it for being honest about its ability to manipulate and be dishonest.. #Deceitful #Perfidious
— Kesha Hamilton (@kchamp06) December 18, 2022
In a follow-up tweet, Hamilton claimed that the last thing anyone needs to worry about is animals because Whites are more dangerous than animals.
Following her racist comments, several parents demanded Hamilton’s resignation, with some of them letting her know her hurtful remarks were adding to the disparities in the school.
“You are not addressing the disparities. You are adding to them by your hurtful remarks,” said Jackie Leslie, a speaker at the meeting. “Your words are not unifying our community. Your words are dividing our community.”
Parent Gina Hastings, who described the school board member as angry and bitter, said Hamilton’s racist comments should not be condoned. She added that children could not feel safe in school if their skin color is called evil and dangerous.
“Someone in her influential position must be held to a high standard. She must be a representative for all students in the JPS system,” parent Gina Hastings said.
Instead of apologizing for her racist remarks, Hamilton tried to justify her comment by playing the victim. Hamilton defended her comment and stated it was within her right to tweet them.
“What I understand from being a woman in this American nation, and a Black woman specifically, is that sometimes others would rather I not exercise any of my rights as outlined in the Constitution. I do not apologize for exercising any of my rights,” she said during the meeting.
Hamilton told parents who were upset with her remarks to read the tweet and try to understand it.
