HARRISBURG, Sept. 26, 2013 – Sen. Anthony Williams today announced he has introduced a resolution condemning the claims of racial slurs against students by the now former superintendent and athletic director of the Coatesville Area School District.
“It’s good the district has acted to remove Superintendent Richard Como and high school AD Jim Donato,” Williams said. “Their racist conversations about the students they were supposed to be guiding should never be heard anywhere – especially in school.”
Williams’ Senate Resolution 198 recognizes Como’s and Donato’s “recent acts of intolerance” and “condemns similar expressions of intolerance and discrimination.”
“The Senate vigorously embraces all humanity and emphatically rejects expressions, actions or practices of intolerance and discrimination,” SR 198 reads.
The Coatesville administrators resigned Aug. 29 when they learned the school board planned to fire them for their comments.
As the senator’s proposed resolution acknowledges, the Coatesville Area School District is one of the most racially diverse with 42 percent of its students being African-American.
Williams said Como’s and Donato’s actions merit “the strongest rebuke.”
“I ask that you join me as a co-sponsor of this resolution,” Williams wrote in his memorandum to fellow lawmakers, “in affirming the value of every child and every resident in this ethnically diverse Chester County community, as well as those throughout our entire commonwealth.”
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