Racism in American schools is, unfortunately, not all that uncommon. Whether it’s a teacher calling the cops on a student for not switching seats, telling a student to go back to their country or a 6-year-old black girl being sent to a mental institution, teachers have a surprisingly long track record of being trash. That doesn’t make the accusations being levied against a teacher in Lexington, S.C. any less concerning.
Post and Courier reports teacher Tim Manning Jr., quit his job at Pleasant Hill Middle School after a Twitter thread accused him of having neo-Nazi ties. The thread alleged that Manning helped organize the 2017 “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville, Va. The Lexington One School District placed Manning on leave last Thursday, a day after the accusations were put online. Mary Beth Hill, a spokeswoman for the district, said that officials were “thoroughly investigating” the claims.
An attorney for Manning has denied the allegations as did his wife, Melissa. “They have absolutely nothing to do with the repugnant Twitter account referenced in recent blog articles and on social media. They are not members of, nor do they sympathize in any way with, fringe or otherwise prejudicial groups or associations.” Elizabeth Millender, a lawyer for the family, said in a statement.
The Twitter thread accused Manning of helping make travel arrangements for protestors attending the rally. This allegedly included helping book flights and make hotel reservations. The gathering was made up of white supremacists as well as far-right extremists and resulted in the death of counter-protester Heather Heyer. Paul Porter, another attorney for the family, confirmed that Manning had quit last Friday.