A high school teacher in Georgia is under fire after a video recording of her telling her students Breonna Taylor was responsible for her own death during an online class was shared on social media.
In the video of the incident that was shared on Instagram, Susan McCoy, a forensics science teacher at Pebblebrook High School in the town of Mableton, is heard claiming Taylor lost her life because she was hanging out with someone who was allegedly involved in a crime, The Courier-Journal reported. She was, however, categorically wrong.
“I’m sorry she was killed, but you know when you hang out with people with guns and shooting, you’re likely to get caught in the crossfire,” McCoy is heard claiming. “What’s her name — Breonna something — the woman who was killed in the gunfire from the cops,” she adds.
McCoy then goes ahead to wrongly claim Taylor was “hanging out with the guy who was wanted on charges … and he fired at them, and they fired back.”
Taylor, a 26-year-old emergency room technician, was fatally shot several times in her home while sleeping with her boyfriend – Kenneth Walker – during a botched no-knock narcotics raid by the Louisville Metropolitan Police Department on March 13. Police later explained that they had been investigating Taylor’s ex-boyfriend, Jamarcus Glover, saying they believed he was keeping drugs and money in her apartment. They, however, found no drugs or money during the botched raid.
In the aftermath of the incident, Walker, who opened fire on the officers, said he thought the law enforcement officials were intruders as they didn’t identify themselves before bursting into the apartment. Taylor was killed after the officers returned fire.
In the video, the students can be heard attempting to correct McCoy, explaining that Walker was not even the suspect in question, but it was rather Glover who was wanted. Walker also had no criminal record prior to the shooting. McCoy is, however, heard attempting to justify her claim before a student is later heard saying, “All right, let’s talk about science.”
After the now-viral video was shared on social media, scores of people called her out, saying she did not know the facts of the case, The Courier-Journal reported. They also demanded authorities hold her accountable for her comments.
“I don’t know if this school will hold Susan McCoy accountable without public pressure to do so. Please help me amplify this story by r/t,” writer Shanita Hubbard tweeted. “She does not deserve to be a teacher!”
Another user also tweeted: “Amazing when students are more educated, compassionate, understanding and courageous than the adult teaching them. @CobbSchools, we are watching and expecting swift action. Great opportunity to educate all on proper dialogue on these issues.”
Following the backlash, McCoy shared a video apologizing for her comments and admitting she was “ignorant” about the circumstances surrounding Taylor’s killing. “I want to apologize sincerely publicly for things I said today in my class that had to do with something that I was very ignorant about. I’m just heartbroken that I said something so rude and disrespectful,” she said.
“All I can do is say I’m so sorry. I should never have talked about something that I didn’t understand and I truly, truly apologize and ask for forgiveness and hope that someday I can have that trust back with my students that I know that I lost.”
It is yet to be known if McCoy will face any disciplinary action for her comments.
