The concept of so-called “cancel culture,” or penalizing individuals for their personal opinions and beliefs, has recently become a hot-button issue in many right-wing circles.
Now, U.S. Army veteran George Kemper has announced that he lost a coaching position at a private Illinois high school because of views he shared on social media.
“Certain posts and political opinions”
He appeared on Fox News Channel’s America’s Newsroom on Thursday to discuss the school’s decision to fire him.
“I got out of the Army back in May of last year,” he said. “In October, I reached out to the school and in November they offered me a job to coach there.”
THE SHOW:@SenatorBraun @jonnaspilborlaw @KarlRove @KatiePavlich
George Kemper, Army vet & Loyal Academy Alum@AriFleischer @RubinReport @DrMarcSiegel @CommissBratton @CarleyShimkusTUNE IN! @BillHemmer @DanaPerino
— America’s Newsroom (@AmericaNewsroom) May 27, 2021
Earlier this year, however, he said that school officials informed him that “certain posts and political opinions” he shared online “didn’t reflect well on the school” and rescinded the offer to serve as Loyola Academy’s freshman baseball coach.
Kemper said he was informed in January that his posts expressing skepticism of ongoing COVID-19 mitigation measures were at the root of the school’s decision.
“Hoodwinked by the white liberal establishment”
Of course, his situation is just the latest to raise concerns about free speech in social media — specifically as it pertains to the pandemic and other controversial social issues.
Another Illinois educator was reportedly fired for expressing disagreement with the Black Lives Matter movement.
In that case, the teacher published a social media post that read: “I find the term ‘white privilege’ as racist as the ‘N’ word. You have not walked in my shoes either so do not make assumptions about me and my so called privilege. You think America is racist? Then you have been hoodwinked by the white liberal establishment and race baiters like Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton.
An assistant football coach at the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga was reportedly let go after posting a critical opinion of former Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams.
On one hand, Kemper’s story reveals how seriously schools treat social media posts during the hiring process. On the other, it serves as further cause for concern among Americans worried about incremental attacks on their freedom of speech.
The post Army vet claims social media posts led school to rescind job offer first appeared on Conservative Institute.
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