A Facebook post this week by a Jefferson Middle School teacher and coach about state testing beginning included a joke warning boys not to grab her breasts if she passed out while monitoring.
D’Leasha Abram Arnold wrote, “State testing begins this morning…Pray for my kids & pray my knee doesn’t go out while I’m monitoring…The kids know, if I pass out…pull my dress down & no phones…and the boys know I bet not open my eyes to their lips puckered up trying to give me mouth to mouth nor their hands gripping my breasts.” She then posted smiley face emojis and said “JMS WE HAVE THIS” followed by praying hand emojis.
The post has since been deleted.
It could be a violation of Columbia School District policies. The district’s guidelines prohibit employees from “sexually oriented ‘kidding,’ ‘teasing,’ double-entendres, and jokes.”
A separate social media policy also says faculty should “use and exercise care and good judgment when posting content and information on such sites” and that they should not make any statements that violate any of the district’s policies.
Arnold was promoted to head girls and boys basketball coach at Jefferson Middle in November after previously being an assistant coach for several years. She could not be reached for comment.
Superintendent Jason Harris said in an emailed statement, “The Columbia School District strives to create a culture where our staff members conduct themselves professionally and respectfully both in and outside the classroom including social media platforms. Engaging in behavior that does not uphold these core values will be addressed by the Columbia School District. Due to privacy laws, we are unable to comment on any personnel action taken.”
