LEBANON, Pa. (WHTM) -
A member of the Lebanon School board has resigned after some say he posted a racially charged Facebook comment about President Barack Obama.
Richard Mase Sr. was elected to the school board in November 2011. Like many midstaters, he watched the first presidential debate.
"He said something that just reeked of communism and just really angered me," Mase said of the President on Thursday.
So, Mase got onto his Facebook page and posted what was on his mind. He would not say exactly what he wrote in the post, but summarized it.
"I believe Barack Obama to be a communist and I'd like to see him dead," he said. "It was a certain word and it wasn't the n-word, okay? It just came out all wrong. Just stupid."
It didn't take long for Mase's fellow board members to call for his resignation, something Mase did not intend to do at first.
"My initial reaction was 'yeah, I screwed up,'" Mase said. "I admitted it and I offered to make a public apology."
But once Mase considered that his Facebook post might expose the school district to a lawsuit, he resigned.
"The reputation of the school district, the possible cost to the taxpayers, things like that," Mase said. "I felt after further consideration it was for the greater good."
Now, Mase is warning others that sometimes the right of free speech can cost you.
"Watch what you say," he said.
Mase has since deleted the post from his Facebook page.
The school board has 30 days to find Mase's replacement.
