Norwin board members call on Wayman to resign over 'offensive' Facebook postings

Four Norwin School Board members this week asked a fellow member to resign over his Facebook postings that several board members and residents have condemned as being racist and offensive.

Brian Carlton, board president, initiated the call for Robert Wayman, a retired teacher, to resign for his statements on private conservative Facebook group, “Silent Majority 15642,” a reference to the Irwin and North Huntingdon ZIP code.

Carlton also asked for an ethics complaint to be filed against Wayman. The school board introduced an ethics policy covering school board members and is expected to vote on adopting the policy at the Sept. 21 meeting. The proposed policy states that board members should demonstrate respect for the diversity of opinions as expressed or acted upon by others on the board or in the public and formally register dissent in an appropriate and productive manner. Violating the policy could result in a complaint filed with the state Ethics Board.

Wayman, a Republican from Irwin, was elected to a four-year term in November. Since the issue of his Facebook postings was raised in July, he has not publicly responded. He did not respond during the virtual meeting Monday and could not be reached for comment afterward.

Among the statements that Wayman, a former Irwin mayor, wrote on the Facebook page were, “No Christian can be a Democrat,” a suggestion that there be “armed combat” if President Trump does not get third term in office, even though the Constitution prohibits it, and referring to Health Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine, a transgender woman, as “it.”

In apparent reference to the Holocaust in which 6 million Jews were killed by the Nazis during World War II, he posted that “Gold Star of David coming to the mask wearers sooner than they realize.” The Nazis forced Jews to wear a Star of David as a way of identifying them for persecution.

In supporting Carlton’s attempt to get Wayman to resign, William Essay, board vice president, described Wayman’s comments as “unnecessary, derogatory and offensive” to many people in the Norwin community.

“The public has spoken,” Essay said.

The school board was presented with a petition with more than 260 signatures in July, noting that his statements put his fitness to serve on the board “into serious doubt.”

While saying that he supports the right to free speech, Donald Rhodes, a director, said “free speech comes with responsibilities.” Director Tony Corsa also said he supported Carlton’s request that Wayman resign.

Norwin’s solicitor, Russell Lucas, told the school board previously that they cannot remove Wayman for what some members consider offensive language as he can exercise his First Amendment right to free speech. The board can only remove a member for missing meetings, Lucas said.

A Norwin resident, Diana Gray, said she believed a section of the public school code permits the board to remove a director for “improper conduct,” which she contended Wayman exhibited in his statements.

“Your hands are not tied” in this matter, Gray contended.