Task Force Condemns Trustee’s ‘Joke’

Moments ago, the executive committee Kootenai County Task Force on Human Relations condemned a possible “racist” joke told by appointed Coeur d'Alene School Board Trustee Brent Regan at a legislative forum in Post Falls Saturday. Task force President Christie Wood and long-time human-rights leaders Tony Stewart and Norm Gissel said Regan presented the group's official statement, saying in part:

“We cannot remain silent when a public official uses language to degrade and ridicule, whether it be made from ignorance or insensitivity, the ancestry of of any person including the President. Such a display of disrespect and intolerance flies in the face of America's democratic principles of equality, fairness and respect for our cherished differences as Americans.” Full executive committee statement here.

Later, during a question-and-answer period with the press at the Human Rights Education Institute, Stewart was asked about the apology made by Reagan to the school administration and fellow trustees. He responded by saying that the apology didn't go far enough — that Regan needs to apologize to every student, teacher and parent of the Coeur d'Alene School District hurt by his racial joke.

Question: Is the task force right to ask that Regan apologize to students and teachers, too?