Bexley school board accepts resignation of middle school teacher over racist image

Megan Henry, The Columbus Dispatch
·3 min read
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Bexley City school board president Alissha Mitchell, center, adjourns a brief special board meeting Tuesday at Bexley City Hall where the board unanimously accepted the resignation of a teacher over a racist image that was shown after a Black History Month fact during morning announcements Feb. 3 at Bexley Middle School.
Bexley City school board president Alissha Mitchell, center, adjourns a brief special board meeting Tuesday at Bexley City Hall where the board unanimously accepted the resignation of a teacher over a racist image that was shown after a Black History Month fact during morning announcements Feb. 3 at Bexley Middle School.

The president of the Bexley City Schools' Board of Education promised change after the board accepted the resignation of a Bexley Middle School teacher who oversaw the morning announcements that displayed a racist image on Feb. 3

The five-member board unanimously voted to accept teacher Christopher Melville’s resignation during a special board meeting Tuesday evening that lasted just five minutes.

"After the careful and thorough investigation, I believe it is appropriate to accept the teacher resignation that has been submitted," Bexley City Schools Superintendent Jason Fine told the board before the vote.

Melville, 49, of Bexley, started working for Bexley City Schools in June 1998. He was placed on administrative leave and resigned last Friday after students and parents expressed their concerns and outrage over a racist image that was shown in the Bexley Middle School morning announcements Feb. 3 right after a Black History Month fact was presented.

About 20 people attended the special meeting Tuesday, including Melville's wife, but there was no public comment held and only the school board president spoke.

“We will work to ensure that racism will not be tolerated in our schools,” Bexley School Board President Alissha Mitchell said during the meeting.

Bexley City school board president Alissha Mitchell speaks Tuesday during a special meeting of the board held to accept the resignation of Bexley Middle School teacher Christopher Melville over a racist image that was shown at the school during the Feb. 3 morning announcements right after a Black History Month fact.
Bexley City school board president Alissha Mitchell speaks Tuesday during a special meeting of the board held to accept the resignation of Bexley Middle School teacher Christopher Melville over a racist image that was shown at the school during the Feb. 3 morning announcements right after a Black History Month fact.

More:Bexley Middle School teacher resigns after racist image shown during morning announcements

The image of an orangutan eating a watermelon appeared on a green screen background on the morning announcements at Bexley Middle School after a historical fact was shared on Feb. 3 as part of Black History Month.

Watermelons became a racist trope during Reconstruction following the Civil War. Newly freed Black Americans grew, ate and sold watermelons and in doing so made the fruit a symbol of their freedom, William R. Black wrote for The Atlantic magazine in 2014.

Melville, a design and technology teacher at Bexley Middle School, also has taught math, STEM, and has been involved in robotics instruction and competitions. He was also involved in a 2015 "Text for STEM" fundraising campaign with the Bexley School Foundation that raised $40,000 for a STEM classroom at the middle school.

“I enjoy seeing my students succeed while trying something they’ve never before attempted. Design/Technology education offers students a chance to use new tools and technologies while often working in a collaborative environment. Seeing all this come together in a successful product is very rewarding for both the student and the teacher," Melville said at the time on the foundation's website.

Michelle Isroff, parent of a Bexley Middle School student, said she disagreed with the board’s decision to accept Melville’s resignation.

“I feel like they are persecuting somebody because they want to blame somebody,” she said to The Dispatch. “There is no way this is going to solve the issue. I don’t believe the person who has been persecuted around this is guilty at all.”

Bexley City Schools superintendent Jason Fine attends a special school board meeting Tuesday at Bexley City Hall, where the board accepted the resignation of design and technology teacher Christopher Melville over a racist image shown Feb. 3 during the morning announcements right after a Black History Month fact.
Bexley City Schools superintendent Jason Fine attends a special school board meeting Tuesday at Bexley City Hall, where the board accepted the resignation of design and technology teacher Christopher Melville over a racist image shown Feb. 3 during the morning announcements right after a Black History Month fact.

Isroff said her son didn’t have Melville as a teacher, but said he served as a role model for her son.

“I think in no way would the person involved would have permitted this had he seen it,” she said. “I think we all are human and we make errors when we are editing.”

During last week's crowded Bexley school board regular meeting, most of the 17 people who signed up to speak during the public comment period called for Melville to be fired.

Black students make up about 5% of Bexley's student body, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.

mhenry@dispatch.com

@megankhenry

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Bexley Board of Education accepts resignation of middle school teacher