A packed special meeting of the Wyandotte School Board turned into a public reckoning this week, as six of the seven trustees voted to condemn a colleague’s social media comment comparing Muslims to dogs and formally urged her to resign.
Residents filled the meeting room, demanding accountability and asking how a trustee could stay on after a process many called dehumanizing and at odds with the district’s stated commitment to inclusion. Trustee Cindy Kinney, whose Facebook comment sparked the uproar, did not attend. Instead, a written apology was read aloud on her behalf.
The controversy erupted after Kinney weighed in on a public Facebook thread, posting a comment that compared Muslims to dogs. The backlash was swift, with community calls for action prompting the special meeting. In the written statement read to the crowd, Kinney said, “I want to sincerely apologize for my recent Facebook post that has caused hurt and concern,” a message that failed to satisfy either the audience or her fellow trustees, according to ClickOnDetroit.
Board Rejects Apology, Adopts Resolution
After public comment and board discussion, trustees voted six to one for a resolution that condemned Kinney’s Facebook remark and stressed that her comment does not represent the Wyandotte Board of Education.
Trustee Nick Beaven-Parshall did not mince words about the apology’s tone. “An apology that focuses on those who were offended, rather than taking full ownership of the bigotry expressed, is not accountability,” he said.
Superintendent James Anderson backed the board’s move, telling the room that he works with more than 700 employees and that if any of those 700 people...had done what happened this weekend, I would be accepting their resignation.
The Michigan chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations also publicly called for Kinney to step down, according to ClickOnDetroit, adding outside pressure to the already heated local debate.
District Context And Next Steps
The Wyandotte Board of Education is a seven-member elected body, and Kinney is listed as one of its trustees on the district’s official site. The district states that it prioritizes an inclusive learning environment and sets out its mission and current board roster on the Board of Education page at Wyandotte Public Schools.
Board members said they intend to keep the district’s focus on students and inclusion while the community waits to see how Kinney responds once she returns from vacation. Residents and local leaders left the special meeting calling for continued oversight and clear accountability from their elected officials, signaling that this controversy is not likely to fade quietly.
