Stallings Town Council Member Calling on Union Co. School Board Chair to Resign

MONROE, N.C. – A Stallings town council member is calling on the chair of the Union County Board of Education to resign.

It comes amid uproar over a now-former board member’s Facebook posts.

Many have called those posts racist.

They were made by now-former school board member Travis Kiker, who resigned on Monday.

Now, school board chair Melissa Merrell is under fire, after a screenshot appears to show she liked one of the posts.

“As an elected official, I said it earlier and I’ll say it again. We are held to a higher standard,” Merrell said at a news conference on Monday, announcing Kiker’s resignation.

Now, Stallings Town Council member John Martin is calling for Merrell’s “immediate resignation.”

https://www.facebook.com/255217434978257/posts/897287087437952/?d=n

In an e-mail Tuesday, Merrell said she does not intend to resign:

“As I expressed to you and others yesterday, I have no recollection of ever “liking” Mr. Kiker’s post and I do not remember even seeing the post until last Thursday.  It is possible I accidentally hit the “like”
button when I viewed the post.  I would not be the first person to do this.  I also shared with you that several of my personal accounts had been compromised.  I can assure you, however,  that I find that particular post offensive and in no way support its negative stereotypes and imagery.  I do not intend to resign.  Yesterday, we announced a new initiative to address issues of diversity in our schools.  I hope this initiative will bring about positive change for our school system.”