Forsyth Educator Fired After Apparent Racist Facebook Post About First Lady

CUMMING, GA — A Forsyth County educator was fired Monday after apparently making racist comments about First Lady Michelle Obama on Facebook.

The Facebook account for Jane Wood Allen has apparently been deleted.

But in screenshots of her posts taken by other Facebook users, Allen, who was listed as a paraprofessional, or teacher's aide, at Chestatee Elementary School, calls Obama a "poor Gorilla" and insults her appearance.

"This poor Gorilla. How is she going to function in the real world, by not having all of her luxurious vacations paid for anymore?" Allen appears to have written, in a post accompanying a news article about Michelle Obama. "She needs to focus on getting a total make-over (especially the hair), instead of planning vacations. She is a disgrace to America!"

One version of Allen's post, captured by University of Houston doctoral student Roni Dean-Burren, had been shared more than 14,000 times by Monday morning.

Forsyth County schools were on fall break last week.

On Monday, school system spokeswoman Jennifer Caracciolo said Allen "has been relieved from duty and is no longer an employee of Forsyth County Schools."

"Racism and discrimination are not tolerated in our school district," she said in a written statement. "We are committed to ongoing staff training on the acceptance of all individuals. As this is a personnel matter, the district will provide no further comment."

Photo by dbking via Wikimedia Commons - originally posted to Flickr