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Catholic High School Teacher Terminated For Debating Cause Of George Floyd’s Death

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ST PAUL, MN - MARCH 19: People march near the Minnesota State Capitol to honor George Floyd on March 19, 2021 in St Paul, Minnesota. This morning Judge Peter Cahill rejected motions for change of venue and continuance by the defense of former Minneapolis Police officer Derek Chauvin, who is accused of killing George Floyd last May.
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An Ohio Catholic high school theology teacher was fired after students released a video of her stating that George Floyd’s cause of death was disputed. 

According to the Columbus Dispatch, Bishop Ready High School teacher Deborah DelPrince was placed on administrative leave following her comments about Floyd. She was subsequently fired following media and student backlash. DelPrince has been a teacher in the Columbus area since 1999. 

In a video posted on Twitter by a Bishop Ready alum, DelPrince can be heard condemning Lebron James for wearing a shirt saying “I Can’t Breathe,” the final words reportedly uttered by George Floyd before he fell unconscious. 

“That’s just not true,” DelPrince said of the shirt. “It perpetuates a myth against police. I’m not sure Lebron James is in the position to be disrespectful to police officers, primarily because he probably doesn’t go anywhere without a bodyguard.” 

“Did you just say that it’s disputed that George Floyd couldn’t breathe?” a student asked. 

“Yes, it is disputed,” DelPrince responded. 

“By who?” the student asked. 

“The tape,” DelPrince said. 

“Did the medical examiner … nevermind, I’m sorry,” the student said at the end of the video. “Because I’m going to stay something that’s going to get me in trouble.” 

Following the video’s release, the Catholic diocese that runs the school launched an investigation into DelPrince and released a statement saying that the teacher had made “unsupported personal assertions and opinions” during a class. 

“These comments, contrary to school and diocesan guidelines, reflected extremely poor judgment and, upon learning of this incident, the instructor was immediately placed on administrative leave pending a detailed investigation,” the statement reads.  

The school and the Diocese of Columbus refuse to explain which policies DelPrince violated that led to her termination. A spokesman for the Diocese of Columbus told The College Fix that the teacher’s personnel matters are “confidential by policy.” 

During the investigation, students created a petition to have DelPrince fired. 

“An apology and a not very thorough investigation will not be enough this time,” the petition reads. “We want to ensure that everyone who wants to share their story has a voice in this matter since so many of us were ignored before.”

According to a copy of the Hennepin County Medical Examiner report, Floyd died of “cardiopulmonary arrest complicating law enforcement subdual, restraint, and neck compression.” Floyd also had a clinical history of hypertension and also tested positive for fentanyl and methamphetamine. Floyd had also tested positive for coronavirus. 

The AP reported that to charge the police officer who kneeled on Floyd’s neck with a manslaughter charge, there must be proof that the officer created “an unreasonable risk” and “took the chance of causing severe injury or death.” 

“Exactly how Floyd died is shaping up as a major flashpoint of the trial,” the AP reports. “[The officer’s] attorney, Eric Nelson, argues in court documents that Floyd likely died from fentanyl he consumed, or a combination of fentanyl, methamphetamine, and underlying health conditions.” 

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