Colorado kindergarten teacher faces possible firing for alleged comments about students with special needs

A Colorado kindergarten teacher is facing dismissal after alleged "despicable" comments about special needs children emerged on social media.

The Westminister Public School district will present dismissal charges against the teacher, employed at Skyline Vista Elementary, to the Board of Education on Tuesday, spokesperson Steve Saunders told USA TODAY.

"No evidence is to be presented. This simply begins the dismissal process," Saunders said in an email statement.

The teacher, who USA TODAY is not identifying because no action has yet been taken against him, denied writing the comment and said his account was hacked, TV station KDVR reported.

His comment, in part, allegedly said: "I'm so tired of hearing about special needs kids. They'll be fine. They were retarded before Covid they'll still be retarded after."

Westminister Public School Superintendent Dr. Pamela Swanson called his comments "despicable" and "appalling" in a video statement released Monday on YouTube.

"Those [comments] in no way, shape or form reflect how the many dedicated teachers and staff members feel in Westminister Public Schools. It just doesn't demonstrate our philosophy or our values," Dr. Swanson said.

A screenshot of the teacher's now-deleted comments were posted on a Facebook page.

The disparaging comment was posted on a Facebook page where parents and teachers discuss educational issues and policies within Denver Public Schools.

The teacher was hired in the Westminister Public Schools district in 1999, according to Saunders.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Westminister kindergarten teacher student with disabilities comment