Keaton Jones recently became the internet’s newest viral star, claiming his 15 minutes of fame by delivering a heart-wrenching speech about bullying, how it makes him feel and what to do if it happens to you.
On the other side of the camera, interviewing and recording the teary-eyed Union County, Tennessee middle schooler, was his mom, Kimberly Jones.
Many people praised the brave kid, including celebrities and notable public figures, but today the tide has turned. Not directly on Keaton, but on his mother, who many people initially questioned about recording her hurt son and throwing it online for the world to consume.
Having weathered that criticism, Kimberly Jones now faces a new problem: her digital past has risen from the dead, and people are not happy.
Wanting to know more about Kimberly Jones, residents of the world wide web did what they do best — they researched.
Some digging on Kimberly’s Facebook page unearthed some photos that have many upset, Deadline Hollywood reports.
On the site is a picture of the mother is proudly holding a Confederate flag with a huge smile on her face.
Users also found a post written shortly after Charlottesville with some inflammatory rhetoric. While it is unclear just what Kimberly Jones was speaking about, the post appears to be a message to “butt hurt Americans” who need to “stop crying” and “join a group.”
Many took the latter post as a form of bullying, with a dash of racism, and found it ironic, given that her son’s video was all about anti-bullying and treating others fairly and kind.
There has been no comment from Kimberly Jones, but her Facebook page is now closed, and the viral video starring her son has been taken offline.