Memphis-Shelby County Schools (MSCS) Board Member Towanna Murphy has released a statement apologizing for comments that surfaced on social media.
A Facebook user by the name of Jose Salazar posted a cropped screenshot of a message sent through Messenger where Murphy said, “Baby be quiet before I have you deported.” Upon posting, Salazar tagged Murphy and asked for an explanation before “making assumptions.
Murphy then posted the full conversation between her and a person named Andrea Avalos, saying she was “unfamiliar with her” and that Avalos initiated the conversation saying, “You are an embarrassment to Memphis and to our students. Please resign from your job you stupid b*tch.”
Avalos also said that Murphy should stop using filters on her photos.
“She was the first to display disrespect,” Murphy said in a Facebook post. “Although I regret my response, I spoke in the heat of the moment.”
The school board member further apologized to the community and her “board colleagues” for the interaction.
“While I found the initial message from the individual to be disrespectful and upsetting, my response did not represent the professionalism and respect that I know should be a standard in my service as an MSCS Board Member,” Murphy said. “It certainly was not a reflection of my true feelings or intentions towards the Latino community.”
Murphy said her comments did not reflect her understanding and concern facing the city’s immigrant and refugee communities, and reaffirmed that the schools must be “safe and welcoming environments for all students and families.”
“This interaction comes at a time when we need to support to ensure public education is available for all,” Murphy said. “I am committed to learning from this experience, rebuilding trust with our full community, and working towards my goal to lead with professionalism and compassion.”