Texas School Superintendent Resigns After Making Racist Comment About Deshaun Watson
Texas school superintendent Lynn Redden has resigned after he made a racist comment toward Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson.
The Onalaska Independent School District's Board of Trustees accepted Redden's resignation after a special meeting held Saturday morning.
Redden's racist remark came after the Texans dropped to 0-2 on the season after falling to the Titans 27-20 in Week 2. On the final play of the game against Tennessee, Watson had a chance to possibly tie the game but held on to the ball as the clock expired.
"That may have been the most inept quarterback decision I've seen in the NFL," Redden wrote in the comments section of an article posted on the Houston Chronicle's website. "When you need precision decision making you can't count on a black quarterback."
Redden later deleted the post and told the Chronicle that he regretted his comments.
Watson was asked about the comments in a press conference Wednesday.
“That’s on him,” he said. “May peace be with him. I’m all about love, so I don’t focus on any of that. I love all people. And that’s what I focus on. It’s part of life. I can’t control other people and what their beliefs are.”
In his letter of resignation, Redden apologized to the Board of Trustees, staff, students and patrons of the school district, as well as apologizing directly to Deshaun Watson.
"As an educator, this experience has taught me that I still have a lot to learn," Redden wrote. "My comments were not only uninformed but also hurtful and I understand now why they were offensive to so many people. I'd like to apologize directly to Deshaun Watson. I recognize that given the opportunity to respond by criticizing or belittling me, he chose peace and positivity instead. In spite of the terrible position I put him in, he showed himself to be the kind of role model I'd be proud for any of my students to follow."
Read Redden's complete letter of resignation below, per ABC13 Houston's Courtney Fischer.
"I do hope that those who know me well and those who have worked with me will remember me for my body of work over 42 years in public education, rather than by my unwarranted and inappropriate comments," Redden concluded.
