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Blavity-U, News

White Louisiana High School Secretary Fired After Calling MLK Day 'N-Word Day'

The Ouachita Junior High School secretary has yet to make a statement following this incident.

by Danteé Ramos

January 18, 2023 at 11:33 pm

A Louisiana high school secretary was fired for allegedly making a racist joke about MLK Day.

White Louisiana high school secretary is forced out after sending colleague racist text https://t.co/WV62xEhcK3
— Daily Mail Online (@MailOnline) January 18, 2023

According to the Daily Mail, Newlyn Poland Fontana sent a text to her colleague referring to Martin Luther King Day as “n***er day.”

The text conversation was shared by activist and organizer leader Walter Geno McLaughlin on Facebook. McLaughlin posted the Ouachita Parish Junior High School employee’s discussion on Monday.

“What she didn’t realize is that she accidentally sent her hate-filled message to the wrong person,” the caption read.

Headline-White Louisiana high school secretary is forced out after she sent colleague racist text referring to MLK Jr Day as ‘n****r day’. pic.twitter.com/vsyicxlVTm

— Ron Milner (@RonMilnerBoodle) January 18, 2023

The post shows the screenshot text thread and a headshot of Fontana. The texts were meant to be sent to a “coach,” whom Fontana thought she was joking with about the civil rights activist she called “Mark.”

The principal of Ouachita Parish Junior High School addressed the Facebook backlash and explained that Fontana was asked to quit her job when the incident came to his attention, Meaww reports.

Ouachita Parish Junior High School secretary Nelwyn Fontana was allowed to resign after referring to MLK day as “n*****r day.” https://t.co/UOVhpgZz7o

— Crooks and Liars (@crooksandliars) January 18, 2023

Community members commented under McLoughlin’s post stating they wanted her fired without benefits.

“Not firing her means she gets her benefits, which comes from taxpayers. This should continue to be protested to see who she was communicating with and if they are in the school district as well. We need to come together and protect our babies from people like her. Don’t let her forget it,” a user commented.

“Ridiculous! Taxpayers continue to pay her for her blatant and outright disrespect. We still say, ‘We Shall Overcome’ in 2023! because of crap like this! No way should she have been allowed to resign! another commented.

“She needed to be fired! Allowing her to resign also allows her to get her retirement,” another person wrote.

Nelwyn Poland Fontana has deactivated her Facebook account since the incident and has not made a personal statement.