Norwin superintendent addresses board member's controversial social media post, school director defends it

Norwin’s top administrator Friday pushed back against a school director’s social media posts this week that used a meme of a Halloween costume titled “(expletive) Retard” and signed the post with “Reeee..,” a sound that some autistic persons sometimes make when overstimulated.

Superintendent Jeff Taylor said in an emailed statement sent to parents and others that many people found School Director Alex Detschelt’s social media comments “to be insensitive and offensive, not only to our families of students with special needs, but to members of our school community.”

Norwin advocates for all children, Taylor said, and the district’s mission is “to provide a positive, learner-centered environment that supports the growth of all students.”

Detschelt on Friday defended posting the meme with the offensive word. He said that his selection of that meme with the word “was never typed by me, let alone not directed to any individual, let alone a child.”

He said he stood by what he considers the “humor of the overall meme.”

He said that the district’s statement does not explain that the meme was part of a political commentary. He said the administration did not investigate the context of the meme nor did it advise board members that it would be sent to the public.

Detschelt, a conservative Republican elected in November2021, had posted the meme in response to another post criticizing Democratic Lt. Gov. John Fetterman, with a picture of Fetterman on a package for a “Supersized Slacker” costume. Detschelt posted the meme before Fetterman’s debate against Republican Dr. Mehmet Oz in the race for a seat in the U.S. Senate.

The meme that Detschelt posted on Facebook on Tuesday contained the offensive words on a picture of a fake Halloween costume kit in a plastic bag. The kit advertised that it contained a medical mask, boosters, a virtue cape and “1 Sense of Superiority.”

Detschelt later removed the word “retard,” in response to a parent of a special needs child who wrote that the word caused an emotional response; her son had been called that over the years by other children. Detschelt said in the same post that he does not take issue with words unless they are used in direct offensive context, “and to me, they are still just words.”

Detschelt said his use of “Reeee” was not intended to offend anyone with autism. He said there are several definitions of “Reeee,” including a conservative referring to a “triggered liberal.”

An article in Autism Parenting magazine said there are some autistic people who do not find use the word “Reeee” offensive, while others do.

Detschelt challenged inclusivity and diversity at the school board’s Oct. 17 meeting, when he criticized the presentation of a book “All Are Welcome” to second grade students at Sunset Valley Elementary School. The book celebrates diversity and inclusivity at a school.

In Detschelt’s critique of the book, he pointed out that it contained heterosexual couples, interracial couples and same-sex couples. With the image of an artist painting books in rainbow colors, Detschelt said the text could be a way to groom children to accept that lifestyle.

Taylor also wrote in his email that Norwin believes in “embracing empathy for all by promoting equality, diversity and inclusivity.” He declined to elaborate beyond his written statement issued Friday.

Darlene Ciocca, school board president, declined comment, saying Taylor’s statement is the district’s official response.

This story was updated to include statements from Alex Detschelt.