Washington, DC — About a week ago, social studies teacher Rodney Robinson in Richmond, Virginia sent out a tweet that has landed him in some hot water. Robinson was even named the national “Teacher of the Year” in 2019, after over a decade of teaching. However, based on his tweet about Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), that sounds like something that should concern people.
“Who are Mitch McConnell’s neighbors?” he wrote. “I’m just saying Rand Paul’s neighbor did what a true Kentucky hero should do. It’s your turn to step up.”
Here’s the archive of the tweet and the responses.
The tweet encourages the neighbors of the Senate Majority leader to attack him similarly the way a neighbor attacked Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) back in 2017. That attack severely injured Paul, breaking six of his ribs and damaging his lung, part of which later had to be removed.
While it is common for Leftists to laud Paul’s neighbor as a hero, it truly says a lot about anyone who would think this was warranted and appropriate. It’s even more troubling when it’s a teacher who has the responsibility of molding young minds with what they say and do.
As you might expect, Kelly Paul, Rand Paul’s wife, was outraged at Robinson’s tweet. She responded to a report of the incident and tweet you can see below:
I am so disgusted by this I have no words. The 2019 “National Teacher Of The Year” is celebrating the violent assault on my husband that resulted in 6 broken ribs and part of his lung being removed. This hateful thug is calling for more violence on Sen McConnell. @jack https://t.co/JLraxwLaZD
— Kelley Paul (@KelleyAshbyPaul) December 31, 2020
The common playbook from the Left in these scenarios is to delete the tweet and swiftly try to justify the actions and play the victim. Robinson stated, “I made a Mitch McConnell joke today and the conservative bots are real angry. It’s funny because the joke was made early today and no one said a thing until I promoted black medical awareness.”
So he’s claiming that people are just upset because he “promoted black medical awareness.” That really takes the cake for a spin. Pay careful attention to the fact an apology is not included in the message. Why? Because it’s a “joke.” Even after getting backlash, he still doesn’t get that this isn’t a laughing matter!
Perhaps the worst thing about his fake apology points to the type of student Robinson teaches. He has the privilege of educating students who really need help on so many fronts and not from someone who would encourage violence against a public official in a tweet. Any teacher worth their salt would take this as a learning lesson for them and for their students. The internet is forever.
“Robinson teaches social studies and history at Virgie Binford Education Center, a school inside the Richmond Juvenile Detention Center. His lessons focus on helping his students become socially conscious citizens who make the most out of their second chance.” CBS News reported in April 2019.
In honoring him in 2019, the Council of Chief State School Officers explained about Robinson in a statement that “He creates a positive school culture by empowering his students — many of whom have experienced trauma — to become civically minded social advocates who use their skills and voices to affect physical and policy changes at their school and in their communities,” CNN reported.
I don’t know about you but that reads like an award for teaching kids to be social justice warriors to me. It makes you wonder what the parents in Richmond, Virginia school district think of a teacher wishing physical harm on an elected official.
It must not have gone over well because today Robinson apologized. But even now, his apology is lacking truth and personal ignorance to the extend of Rand Paul’s injury.
“I apologize for making light of his injuries. I do not advocate for violence against Mitch McConnell,” Robinson said, according to ABC 8 News.
The Richmond Public School system announced that they’d hired him to “develop an initiative for male teachers of color.” In response to this, their superintendent declared that they didn’t “condone any violence of any kind.” But it’s clear from his remark that they’re not cutting him lose because of this.
A school system spokesman provided a statement and attached the educator’s apology:
“RPS doesn’t condone violence of any kind. Period. Thank you to @RodRobinsonRVA for this heartfelt apology. Words matter — across the political spectrum.”
Of course, if this teacher had been a Republican and said the same thing about a Democratic politician, he would have been fired in a New York minute!
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