Fayette County Public Schools board member Amanda Ferguson apologized during a district board meeting Tuesday night for social media posts that drew criticism.
It involved a laughing emoji and a GIF featuring an interactive Furby toy, which Ferguson posted to X, formerly known as Twitter, in late May.
Ferguson said her posts were in response to a message from the account of “That Nema” – Ky 120 United-AFT co-founder Nema Brewer, who Ferguson said was a friend. Under a photo of Jessica Hiler, president of the Fayette County Education Association, Brewer posted in part, “I didn’t know Hiler was the new FCPS mascot.”
In response, Ferguson posted a laughing emoji.
FCEA, a branch of the Kentucky Education Association, and KY 120 United – AFT have competed for members and at times had conflicts.
The Furby GIF
Ferguson said she initially posted the Furby GIF in the wrong place on her personal mentioned. That message said, “Whose lesbian on the left is this?” Ferguson had initially posted the GIF of the Furby under that comment. She said she did not make or intentionally respond to the “Whose lesbian on the left” comment.
She said she later moved but did not delete her post.
Critics of Ferguson’s posts included Equity Council members who spoke Tuesday and Ebony Harrington McLeod, the 16th District PTA secretary whose statement to the Equity Council with her concerns about the posts was made during Tuesday’s meeting read aloud.
“It was in no way intended to incite hatred against any particular group, any particular individual,” Ferguson said at the meeting. “It is never my intention to offend anyone. “
“I don’t know how to win back those who are offended,” she said.
“I’m very sorry. It never occurred to me that it would be taken that way,” she said.
The Equity Council voted to recommend that the Fayette school board establish a social media policy and that the incident be investigated by the school board. Equity Council members want Ferguson to be held accountable.
This is a development story.
