Social Media Firestorm: Danville Teacher Placed on Leave After Post Goes Viral
- BTW21
- 2 minutes ago
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DANVILLE, Va. — A Danville Public Schools teacher has been placed on administrative leave after a social media post drew criticism from both local residents and national commentators.
Dr. Sabrina Kent Morris, who teaches history and government at George Washington High School, reposted an image from the Instagram page @Dream.foramerica showing a rainbow-colored gun pointed at the back of a man’s head with the text, “Put the pronouns back in the email.”
The post quickly gained traction after being reshared by the @LibsofTikTok account on X (formerly Twitter), leading to national media attention, including coverage on Fox News’ The Gutfeld Program.
Community members voiced outrage over the post, saying it was inappropriate for an educator. “One thing involving a gun to someone’s head is never okay,” said one resident. Another local, Jarvis Tucker, a graduate of George Washington High, commented, “Teachers are supposed to set an example for students. That post crossed the line.”
In a statement, Danville Public Schools said it launched an internal review as soon as it learned of the incident.
“Upon learning of the post, DPS immediately began reviewing the situation in accordance with division policy and procedures,” the district said. “We have also been in contact with the Danville Police Department. The employee involved will not be on school grounds while the investigation is ongoing.”
Former U.S. Attorney John Fishwick noted that social media posts can have serious professional consequences.
“People need to remember that what they share online is public,” Fishwick said. “If an employer believes it harms their organization’s reputation, they’re within their rights to take action.”
A school division spokesperson clarified that Danville teachers and students are not required to include pronouns in their email signatures.
Morris’s Instagram account has since been made private. Efforts to reach her for comment were not successful.