Kentucky Republicans call for JCPS equity officer’s ouster over social media posts

Sudents arrive Carter Traditional Elementary School in Louisville on Jan. 24, 2022 (Photo by Jon Cherry/Getty Images)

About a dozen Kentucky Republicans are calling on Jefferson County Public Schools to fire its chief equity officer for a social media post on his personal account.

However, some say the move is another in a line of discriminatory attacks from state lawmakers on Kentucky’s largest public school system. 

On Wednesday, 14 white Republican lawmakers or incoming lawmakers signed onto a statement calling on the resignation or ouster of Chief Equity Officer John Marshall for posts he made on X about recent conversations with Black students and young professionals. 

“A few young(er) Black professionals & students called me this morning & asked, ’What’s a strategy moving forward?’” Marshall wrote Monday. “My response, ‘REGARDLESS of the rooms, meetings, classes, etc., you’re in, know THE MAJORITY of whites could care less about you & have no issues harming you or yours.’”

Marshall added a follow-up post: “Strategy. Count the number in your presence & divide by at least half. That’s where you start.”

The politicians’ press release came after Libs of TikTok, a right-wing social media account, highlighted Marshall’s post and salary to 3.7 million followers on X. 

“This is an outrageously inflammatory public statement for anyone in a civilized society to make, but such speech is protected by the First Amendment — for a private citizen,” the Republicans said. “As an officer of the government, speaking in an official capacity at taxpayer expense, such reckless speech inciting hatred based on skin color should be grounds for immediate termination. In the current heated political climate of America, it is absolutely unacceptable for a senior JCPS leader to stoke the fires of hatred and division rather than set an example of bringing students together in peace.” 

The politicians’ statement added that Marshall’s personal account “contains numerous divisive statements,” but did not specify which additional posts. The politicians said that if Marshall did not resign, the Board of Education of JCPS or its superintendent should fire him. 

Marshall did not return an emailed request for comment. Mark Hebert, a spokesperson for JCPS said Marshall’s “social media post was not made on behalf of his employer.” 

Ricky Jones, a professor of Pan-African Studies at the University of Louisville, called the call to fire Marshall “another brazen example of white supremacy in Kentucky.” Jones added that the Republicans “thought not only was (it) OK, but thought it would go unchallenged, because they think that Black people are in a subordinate position, that they’re powerless and that they fear them.” Jones said the lawmakers should resign instead of Marshall “because they’re not living in the 21st century” and lack respect for the First and 14th amendments to the U.S. Constitution. 

Jones said Marshall “didn’t say anything that was untrue.” Though Marshall’s post came in the wake of Donald Trump’s election to a second term as president, “these people were doing stuff like this before Donald Trump got re-elected,” Jones said.

Jones, who is also a guest columnist for the Louisville Courier Journal, said the push to oust Marshall follows efforts to suppress initiatives like diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs and teaching critical race theory. Black Kentuckians are paying attention, he added, to who white voters keep electing.

“Not only are they not standing up fighting against those people, they are re-electing them and electing more people like them to political positions in the state. The message that gives to Black people is that the majority of white folk here don’t give a damn about us and our children, and they feel clearly that we don’t have the right to say that.”

During the 2024 legislative session, Kentucky Republicans joined a national trend to target diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. Two bills aimed at dismantling DEI programs in public universities failed to pass but lawmakers are expected to file legislation against DEI when the 2025 session begins in January. 

Republican lawmakers have also taken actions in recent years to increase oversight of the governance of JCPS, Kentucky’s largest public school system. Earlier this year, Kentucky Supreme Court justices questioned if a 2022 law aimed at changing the relationship of the JCPS board and its superintendent was legislative interference. Republicans also established a task force to review the governance of JCPS in the interim session and potentially make recommendations for future legislation. 

Lyndon E. Pryor, the president and CEO of the Louisville Urban League, said in a statement to the Kentucky Lantern that the lawmakers supported Republican President-elect Donald Trump’s bid for the White House, and he is “a presidential candidate who, for decades, has openly engaged in hate speech and white supremacist antics.” 

Trump won Kentucky’s eight electoral votes in last week’s election with 65% of the vote. Kentucky voters maintained a Republican supermajority in the state House and Senate.

“They have been silent on the discriminatory rhetoric and actions of local and state police officers and said nothing, even when members of their caucus have made inflammatory remarks,” Pryor said of the Republicans calling for Marshall’s ouster. 

Pryor said Marshall had a First Amendment right to make a statement on his personal account. 

“We will not be distracted and misled into believing these people have any concern for racial equity, justice, civil discourse, or common decency,” Pryor said. “They are planting seeds with their small base to support their continued assault on JCPS, diversity, and educational progress — attacks which, at their very core, are racially motivated.

“Those of us who are genuinely concerned with the welfare of students, families, and our educational system will keep focused on the things that actually matter and get back to work. We would appreciate it if our elected officials did the same.”

A spokesperson for the Republican senators seeking to oust Marshall declined to respond to Jones’ and Pryor’s remarks. A House spokesperson did not immediately return a request for comment.