A Hanover High School teacher has been fired following controversial social media posts that took aim at critical race theory, gender identification, and other hot-button issues.
The Massachusetts Republican Party disclosed the firing of math and business instructor Kari MacRae, who is also a Bourne School Committee member, in a statement released Oct. 7.
MacRae made headlines in September for a video she produced last spring and posted on TikTok as part of her School Committee bid, which went viral. The Cape Cod Times reported that MacRae was one of two candidates who ran uncontested in May for two seats on the school board. She remains a member of the committee but has faced calls to resign, the Times reported.
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The TikTok video clip was posted to Boston.com.
“So pretty much the reason why I ran for school board and the reason why I’m taking on this responsibility is to ensure that students, at least in our town, are not being taught critical race theory,” MacRae said in the clip. “That they’re not being taught that the country was built on racism. So they’re not being taught that they can choose whether or not they want to be a girl or a boy.
“It’s one thing to include and it’s one thing to be inclusive and it’s one thing to be, to educate everybody about everything. It’s completely another thing to push your agenda,” MacRae continued in the clip. “And with me on the school board, that won’t happen in our town.”
Boston.com in September also ran some memes attributed to MacRae’s TikTok account, which was set to private Thursday and which has more than 20,000 followers. Those memes included photos poking fun at issues related to race relations, gender identity, and immigration.
Hanover Superintendent of Schools Matthew A. Ferron said Thursday in a statement that he can’t comment on any “specific personnel” matter.
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“However, as general background, school districts in Massachusetts have the option of dismissing teachers within their first 90 days of employment, with or without cause,” Ferron said.
“The Hanover Public School District understands and respects the First Amendment rights of all employees. That being said, if a teacher publicly interfaces with the community in a way that may negatively impact our ability to provide a positive and distraction free learning environment for our students and staff, it is important that school districts have the ability to exercise their 90-day dismissal option under Massachusetts law,” the statement continued.
MacRae earlier this week read her termination letter from Hanover High to a Cape Cod Times reporter. The letter said in part that “continuing your employment in light of your social media posts would have a significant negative impact on student learning at HHS.”
Reached via e-mail by the Globe on Thursday, MacRae declined to comment on her firing or forward a copy of her termination letter.
“The globe??? No thank you!” she wrote.
Travis Andersen can be reached at travis.andersen@globe.com.