By Essence ·January 8, 2021January 8, 2021
Chris Malone, an offensive line coach at The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, was fired after sharing hateful comments about Stacey Abrams on social media.
Abrams is the former Democratic leader in the Georgia House of Representatives, and a prominent voting rights activist. Her work registering 800,000 first-time voters in the peach state has been credited with shifting its political tide from red to blue.
Malone’s tweet read, “Congratulations to the state GA and Fat Albert @staceyabrams because you have truly shown America the true works of cheating in an election, again!!! Enjoy the buffet Big Girl!! You earned it!!! Hope the money is good, still not governor!”
The body-shaming tweet was sent on Tuesday and deleted shortly after being posted but screenshots had already began circulating among parents, students, faculty, and staff at the university. As of Wednesday evening, Malone’s Twitter account had been deactivated.
The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga terminated Malone’s employment as a result of his actions shortly after learning about the tweet. He has also been scrubbed from their website. Chancellor Steve Angle released a video announcing their decision.
Chancellor Angle Remarks on Former Mocs Football Assistant Coach pic.twitter.com/8n5vvLYZa2
— UTChattanooga (@UTChattanooga) January 7, 2021
“Coach Malone is no longer a part of this university,” Angle revealed. “University faculty and staff are expected to lead in a way that achieves and maintains a respectful and tolerant civil campus environment,” he added.
“The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga does not tolerate and unequivocally condemns discrimination and hatred of all forms,” he concluded.
Chattanooga athletic director Mark Wharton released a separate statement condemning Angle’s actions.
Statements below from head coach Rusty Wright and Director of Athletics Mark Wharton. pic.twitter.com/qRbQgbrvi3
— Chattanooga Football (@GoMocsFB) January 7, 2021
“Our football program has a clear set of standards. Those standards include respecting others. It is a message our players hear daily. It is a standard I will not waiver on. What was posted on social media by a member of my staff is unacceptable and not any part of what I stand for or what Chattanooga Football stands for. Life is bigger than football and as leaders of young men, we have to set that example, first and foremost. With that said, effectively immediately, that individual is no longer a part of my staff,” wrote Wharton.
TOPICS: stacey abrams
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