COLUMBUS, Ohio — A high school theology teacher was fired after making comments during a virtual class last week disputing whether George Floyd could breathe while a white Minneapolis police officer pressed his knee into Floyd's neck last May 25.
Deborah DelPrince's employment at Bishop Ready High School was terminated Friday after she was placed on administrative leave the day before by the Catholic Diocese of Columbus, Deacon Thomas M. Berg Jr., chancellor of the diocese, said Tuesday.
She had been a teacher at the Catholic high school in Columbus' Hilltop neighborhood since 1999.
During a class on Feb. 24, she responded on camera during a virtual class to a student's screen showing LeBron James wearing a shirt that says "I can't breathe" in reference to Floyd's death: “That’s not necessarily true, but it perpetuates a myth against police.”
The diocese launched an investigation Thursday and released a statement last week saying a Bishop Ready instructor “made unsupported personal assertions and opinions” during a virtual 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 said.
In the video, after DelPrince makes the initial comment about Floyd's death, a student can be heard saying, “I'm sorry, did you just say it’s disputed that George Floyd couldn’t breathe?”
DelPrince said, “Yes, it is disputed."
The student asked, “By who?" DelPrince replied, “the tape.”
"Did the medical examiner … I’m sorry, never mind, " ‘cause I’m going to say something that’s going to get me in trouble," the student said.
The video ends with DelPrince saying “OK,” with a smile on her face.
Cellphone video of the incident shows Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin had his knee on Floyd's neck for more than eight minutes — even after Floyd lost consciousness — and for more than a minute after paramedics arrived at the scene.
Chauvin and three other officers at the scene were fired by Minneapolis police.
On May 29, Hennepin County Prosecuting Attorney Mike Freeman announced third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter charges against Chauvin. A more-serious charge of second-degree murder was filed against Chauvin on June 3, when the three other former officers — Thomas Lane, J. Alexander Kueng and Tou Thao — were charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder.
