A Union County board member has resigned following a series of racist social posts that surfaced last Thursday, board members said on Monday.
Monroe resident Travis Kiker submitted his letter of resignation to the board citing a ‘heavy heart’. He was elected in 2018. The posts were made on his personal account on Facebook.
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Board member chair Melissa Merrell said a similar situation occurred when a social media post was made by a different colleague in 2017 but that board member did not step down.
“Our staff is held to a higher standard,” Merrell said during a Monday news conference when discussing the county’s code of ethics.
Kiker attended Wingate University and his term was set to expire in 2022. His bio states he has three children with a fourth expected and served on multiple committees including transportation, curriculum, and strategic planning.
The board says it will launch a new citizens diversity board, the UCPS Citizens Advisory Committee on Diversity, to help address issues in the future.
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