School worker fired over Facebook post about Trump assassination attempt, officials say
An employee at a South Dakota middle school has been fired after a social media post she made following the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump, officials say.
“Shoot -- If only he would’ve had his scope sighted in correctly,” said Cassandra Oleson, who made the post on Facebook under the name Cassie Martin, according to the Sioux Falls Argus Leader.
The comment was made after the attempted assassination of Trump on Saturday, July 13, in Butler County, Pennsylvania. The accused shooter, 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, was shot dead by the Secret Service.
Backlash ensued following the post by Oleson, who was a behavior facilitator at Ben Reifel Middle School in Sioux Falls, Dakota News Now reported.
On the Sioux Falls School District’s most recent post on Facebook — unrelated to the attempted assassination — many called for Oleson’s firing. The post has more than 600 comments as of Tuesday.
School district officials said in a statement to multiple news outlets Monday that the worker has been fired.
“The staff member’s statement does not align with the school district’s values and was not condoned in any way. The individual is no longer employed by the Sioux Falls School District,” the statement said, according to KELO. “We remain committed to fostering a safe, respectful learning environment for all students and staff and upholding the values of our community.”
The school district said the worker violated its Code of Conduct policy, which states employees must exhibit “honorable and ethical behavior” without “violating the public trust.”
Oleson is no longer listed on the school or district staff’s directory, according to the Argus Leader. She would have made $23.63 per hour during the 2024-25 school year.
Before deleting her Facebook page, Oleson apologized for her comments, calling them “offensive” and “not in good taste,” KELO reported.
“It isn’t a great example of who I am and what I truly believe in as a person,” she said, according to the station.
This story was originally published July 16, 2024 at 7:54 AM.