School Board President Urged to Resign After Hot Mic Catches Her Comment About Anti-Vaccine Mandate Parent
A school board president in southern California is facing calls to resign after a hot mic caught her throwing a vulgar insult toward a parent who had expressed concern over vaccine mandates for children.
The incident occurred Tuesday in Orange County at a meeting between parents and members of the Los Alamitos Unified School District Board of Education, KTLA-TV reported.
Marlys Davidson, the board president, and other members of the board listened to questions and statements from parents who expressed their opinions on issues ranging from mask mandates to critical race theory.
As we’ve seen in recent months, some of those questions were passionate.
One woman who had identified herself as a concerned parent came up to a podium during the meeting with a message for Davidson.
KTLA reported Lauren Roupoli had asked the board to respect parents by not calling parents “selfish,” and concluded that any assumption that those in attendance to speak up for their children were there for themselves was “rude.”
Roupoli had barely concluded her comments when a microphone caught Davidson sharing a two-word response which she apparently thought could not be heard by the parents in the room.
“F*** you,” said a voice reported to be that of Davidson in a brazen display of disrespect amid a broader conversation nationally about school boards and their relationships with their communities. Footage from the meeting cuts before parents or fellow board members are given time to respond to the comment.
WARNING: The following video contains vulgar language which some viewers will find offensive.
Davidson later issued an apology to Roupoli through a statement that was sent to KTLA.
“I am going go personally apologize to the speaker who most certainly deserves to know that when the member of the public address the Board of Education, they must be heard with respect,” Davidson said. “I reaffirm my commitment to serve our community with dignity and integrity, and I hope they will accept my sincere apology.”
The apology felt hollow to Roupoli, however, who said she wants Davidson to step down from the board.
“After her true colors showed last night, there’s no taking that back,” Roupoli told KTLA.
The meeting was held the same day an expert panel advising the Food and Drug Administration recommended Pfizer’s vaccine for children aged 5 to 11, The New York Times reported.
Every school in California is required to mandate masks for students, faculty and staff. KNTV-TV reported Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom intends to make the shots mandatory for every student in the state.
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