Posted: Wednesday, November 30, 2016 4:45 pm
By GRAHAM MOOMAW Richmond Times-Dispatch
A member of Charlottesville’s City Council resigned Wednesday from the Virginia Board of Education amid controversy over his history of racist and sexist Twitter posts.
Gov. Terry McAuliffe’s office announced Wes Bellamy’s resignation in a short statement Wednesday afternoon.
“Today, I informed Governor McAuliffe that I have decided to resign from my appointment to the Virginia State Board of Education,” Bellamy said. “I would like to redirect my attention and focus to my family, the children and young people whom I serve, and to the City of Charlottesville. I want to thank Governor McAuliffe, Steve Staples, Billy Cannaday, and the rest of the State Board and staff for their support and faith in me.”
Bellamy, a 30-year-old teacher who also serves as Charlottesville’s ceremonial vice mayor, came under fire this week over vulgar tweets he posted years before he held public office.
In a public apology for the messages, Bellamy said they reflected youthful views and said he had matured to become a different, better person.
Bellamy was elected to the Charlottesville City Council last year. He earned the highest number of votes for the city’s at-large council seats.
In March, McAuliffe appointed Bellamy, seen as a promising young African-American leader in Democratic circles, to a four-year term on the state Board of Education.
McAuliffe said Tuesday that he was “horrified” by Bellamy’s tweets, which included anti-white and anti-women sentiments as well as homophobic slurs.
Republicans in the General Assembly hinted this week that they would block Bellamy’s appointment if he remained on the board. His appointment still was subject to assembly approval.
Some legislators made public calls for his ouster from the board.
“The type of language used by Mr. Bellamy is unacceptable, and certainly disqualifies him from serving on the Board of Education,” Del. R. Steven Landes, R-Augusta, who chairs the House Education Committee, said in a statement Wednesday.
Several of Bellamy’s colleagues on the Charlottesville council have rallied to his defense and said he is a positive force for the city. Bellamy is on leave from his job at Albemarle High School while the Albemarle County School Board investigates the matter.
gmoomaw@timesdispatch.com
(804) 649-6839
Twitter: @gmoomaw
By GRAHAM MOOMAW Richmond Times-Dispatch
A member of Charlottesville’s City Council resigned Wednesday from the Virginia Board of Education amid controversy over his history of racist and sexist Twitter posts.
Gov. Terry McAuliffe’s office announced Wes Bellamy’s resignation in a short statement Wednesday afternoon.
“Today, I informed Governor McAuliffe that I have decided to resign from my appointment to the Virginia State Board of Education,” Bellamy said. “I would like to redirect my attention and focus to my family, the children and young people whom I serve, and to the City of Charlottesville. I want to thank Governor McAuliffe, Steve Staples, Billy Cannaday, and the rest of the State Board and staff for their support and faith in me.”
Bellamy, a 30-year-old teacher who also serves as Charlottesville’s ceremonial vice mayor, came under fire this week over vulgar tweets he posted years before he held public office.
In a public apology for the messages, Bellamy said they reflected youthful views and said he had matured to become a different, better person.
Bellamy was elected to the Charlottesville City Council last year. He earned the highest number of votes for the city’s at-large council seats.
In March, McAuliffe appointed Bellamy, seen as a promising young African-American leader in Democratic circles, to a four-year term on the state Board of Education.
McAuliffe said Tuesday that he was “horrified” by Bellamy’s tweets, which included anti-white and anti-women sentiments as well as homophobic slurs.
Republicans in the General Assembly hinted this week that they would block Bellamy’s appointment if he remained on the board. His appointment still was subject to assembly approval.
Some legislators made public calls for his ouster from the board.
“The type of language used by Mr. Bellamy is unacceptable, and certainly disqualifies him from serving on the Board of Education,” Del. R. Steven Landes, R-Augusta, who chairs the House Education Committee, said in a statement Wednesday.
Several of Bellamy’s colleagues on the Charlottesville council have rallied to his defense and said he is a positive force for the city. Bellamy is on leave from his job at Albemarle High School while the Albemarle County School Board investigates the matter.
gmoomaw@timesdispatch.com
(804) 649-6839
Twitter: @gmoomaw
- "I DONT LIK[sic] WHIT[sic] PEOPLE SO I HATE WHITE SNOW!" in 2009
- "I’m all for equal opportunity..but a Female Principal with a school full of female teachers is fkn[sic] a sure fire way to fk[sic] up our lil boys" in 2011
- "I really #hate how almost 80% of the black people here talk white" in 2010
I guess nothing is worse than a white man scorned.
