Rutherford County Schools fired a bus driver in connection with a racist social media comment about a Monday protest march, a spokesman said. The action was taken within 24 hours of the post being made.
"We take these matters seriously," Rutherford County Schools spokesman James Evans said after confirming that Gregory T. Grant was the bus driver and partial owner of two bus contractor routes with the district. "While bus drivers are not direct employees of the school district, the district has notified Mr. Grant that he will not be eligible to serve as a bus driver moving forward."
The comment in question appeared under the name Gregory T. Grant on a Facebook livestream post from News Channel 5 as the television station’s helicopter panned the area during a demonstration held Monday afternoon.
A group of around 100 were protesting the Sunday night arrest of 19-year-old Christian Fouché, a Middle Tennessee State University student who participated in a vigil and protest march.
"Just give them all some watermelon and they will be happy and go home," the social media post said.
Attempts to reach Grant to interview him for this story were unsuccessful.
Local pastor: comment 'disheartening'
The comment in question disappointed David Settles, a pastor with The Worship Center Murfreesboro.
"It's disheartening for the comment to be posted at all during the volatile times we're living in," said Settles, who's also a Murfreesboro City School Board member and a local leader with the NAACP.
Local NAACP President Katie Wilson agreed that the comment in question "was unacceptable."
The Monday protest related to Fouché occurred after he was taken into custody following a vigil and protest march held in downtown Murfreesboro in memory of George Floyd, who died of asphyxiation Memorial Day after a Minneapolis police officer kneeled on his neck for nearly nine minutes.
Protesters met in Lowe’s parking lot in Murfreesboro and marched to the Rutherford County Jail, where Fouché was being held.
Fouché was released around the time the marchers arrived and was brought out to greet the crowd.
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Reach reporter Scott Broden at sbroden@dnj.com or 615-278-5158, and on Twitter @ScottBroden.
Reach reporter Nancy DeGennaro at degennaro@dnj.com and follow her on Twitter @NanDeGennaro.
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