’I did not read the whole thing.’ E. Providence principal apologizes for tweeting link to coronavirus conspiracy article
EAST PROVIDENCE — The city’s high school principal said she inadvertently tweeted a link to an article questioning whether media coverage of the coronavirus pandemic was the “latest unsuccessful attempt to destroy the Trump presidency.”
The tweet, from the account of Principal Shani Wallace, linked to an article on the American Thinker website that accuses Democrats and the media of exploiting the protests that followed the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis.
Wallace said Thursday that she posted the tweet late last night without reading it all the way through, and that she does not condone the author’s comments.
“I was exhausted,” she said. “I did not read the whole thing. I shouldn’t have opened it. It was a sincere mistake.”
When an acquaintance called it to her attention this morning, she said she immediately deleted it.
“I’ve dedicated 25 years to this district,” she said, adding that she respects however the school district decides to handle the matter.
The district is investigating the tweet, according to a lawyer for the district.
“Is the virus the latest unsuccessful attempt to destroy the Trump presidency?”’ the article, headlined, “Was it Ever Really About the Virus?” asks. “Are the riots an attempt to gin up support for the joke of a candidate Joe Biden? The Washington Post answers that with this headline, ’New data finds young black Americans aren’t as enthusiastic about Biden — or opposed to Trump — as their elders.’ What better than a race war to rile up the Democrat base.”
Wallace is a veteran of the East Providence school system, having served as an assistant principal at Martin Middle School before being named principal of the high school, where she is responsible for attendance and discipline, according to a published report.
The article, written by a Denver ophthamologist, Dr. Brian C. Joondeph, also says, “The anti-Trump triumvirate of the media, deep state and Democrat party have been working nonstop to derail the Trump presidency. They illegally spied on candidate Trump, continued to spy on President Trump using distractions to hide their seditious activities. Starting with the Mueller investigation, transitioning into the Ukraine phone call and nonsensical impeachment, then the Wuhan virus, now the riots.”
When The Journal sent a screenshot of the post to Supt. Kathryn Crowley, she wrote, “The East Providence School Department does not support the content of that Twitter posting.”
She referred the Journal to the department’s lawyer, Benjamin Scungio, who wrote “The East Providence School District does not support or endorse the content of the principal’s twitter posting. The district requires its staff and students to abide by all district and governmental protocols which are established to keep the students, staff and their families safe during this pandemic.
“With respect to your questions about whether disciplinary action against a staff member will take place, the district will investigate the matter and if discipline is indicated, appropriate action will take place.”
He said the district does not otherwise comment on personnel matters.
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