Rockwood School District leaders and parents are condemning a school board member who mocked students with disabilities and used political slurs in a recorded speech that has been shared widely on social media.
Jessica Laurent Clark was a featured speaker at a town hall meeting Tuesday hosted by the conservative Real Talk Radio Network in O’Fallon, Missouri.
“They come to the school board meetings with their gay flags and their masks,” Clark said, earning laughter from the audience. “I use the word libtard, they said I was an ableist … They come in with the kids in the wheelchairs and everything … whatever, you are a libtard and I mean it and I stand on it.”
On the video, Clark can also be heard referring to “transgender crap” in schools and saying teachers are “indoctrinated” during college.
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When reached by phone Thursday, Clark referred comment back to the district.
A Rockwood spokeswoman provided a statement saying, “Director Clark’s views are her own and should not be construed as those of the Rockwood School District or as a reflection on any district staff or other board member,” the statement reads. “Members of the board have expressed to Director Clark that her remarks have a harmful impact on our students and families and that her views reflect poorly on the district and the more than 4,000 Rockwood employees who are committed to providing a safe and healthy learning environment for all students.”
Rockwood parent Jane Leahy-Smith believes Clark was referring to Leahy-Smith’s family when she spoke about children in wheelchairs at a school board meeting.
“I’m just very sad because to me, these are basic human rights and she made fun of a group of people and hardworking staff,” she said. “To belittle my children belittles their job.”
Clark won a seat on the Rockwood School Board in April after drawing attention for provocative comments during the campaign. On social media accounts, she promoted herself as a “sugar lifestyle coach” for young people seeking relationships with older, wealthier benefactors. After being sworn in for the board, she scrubbed the content from her accounts.
In another video posted to YouTube, Clark can be heard calling the teachers’ union “terrorists.”
Clark’s biography on the Rockwood website says she has four daughters attending schools in the district.
“Our district serves an incredibly diverse population, requiring a board representing true diversity, diversity in perspective, background, and value. As a conservative, I represent the values of a large portion of our community. As a mother, I represent the parents whose children are directly impacted by the board’s decisions,” the bio reads.
Multiple parents spoke out against Clark’s most recent comments.
“It’s a major problem. It’s completely inappropriate to call out half of our community as the enemy for her personal political gain,” said Zack Winslow, who has two children in the district.
