An Elkhorn Public Schools teacher has been placed on administrative leave following a Facebook post that compared anti-maskers and Klansmen.
The district confirmed Tuesday that the post showed the hood of a Ku Klux Klan outfit and a medical face mask and posed the question: "Isn't it strange they can breathe in this (the KKK mask) but not this (the medical mask)?"
The teacher's name has not been released.
Kara Perchal, district spokeswoman, said the district was made aware of the post Tuesday morning. The teacher has been placed on leave while the issue is investigated, she said in a statement.
"Notably, the stated views were expressed on the individual's personal social media account and do not represent those of the Elkhorn Public Schools," Perchal said in the statement.
According to WOWT news station, which was in touch with the teacher, the teacher said someone could not be both Klansman and oppose masks without being hypocritical.
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“My personal views on politics, masking, those are outside of the classroom," the teacher told the station. "I love my job. My opinions are not part of my job. I do my job, I teach math, I teach literature, I teach critical thinking skills. We don’t talk about politics.”
The Greek alphabet of COVID-19 virus mutations
Alpha
First identified in the United Kingdom, and later found in the U.S. in December 2020, alpha is considered a variant of concern by the CDC, which noted it might have increased severity based on hospitalization and fatality rates.
Beta
First identified in South Africa, this was detected in the U.S. at the end of January 2021. This is also considered a variant of concern by the CDC.
Delta
First noted in India before being detected in the U.S. in March 2021, the CDC notes this variant of concern’s increased transmissibility. Researchers are watching the delta variant carefully as it continues to spread.
Dr. Emily Landon, chief health care epidemiologist at the University of Chicago, said recently that the delta variant is “even more contagious than the alpha variant.”
Delta plus
What’s been referred to as “delta plus” is getting buzz. This has been reportedly detected in South Korea, India and the United States, and some believe it may be more transmissible than the original delta variant. Experts are watching and waiting, but some note it hasn’t yet gained momentum here. Also known as AY.1, it is included under the World Health Organization’s list of variants of concern.
Gamma
Brazil was the first place this was detected, and it’s also been recorded in Japan. The CDC considers gamma a variant of concern; it was first detected in the U.S. in January 2021.
Epsilon
Although the Epsilon variant is included on the Illinois health department’s website, a spokeswoman said it would be soon taken off the “variants of concern” list as it is not considered one by the CDC. The CDC lists the Epsilon variant, which includes multiple mutations, as a variant of interest.
Eta
The World Health Organization and CDC defines this as a variant of interest and noted it has been documented in multiple countries.
Iota
The WHO and CDC consider this a variant of interest. It was documented earliest in the U.S.; according to the CDC, the first detection was in New York.
Kappa
This is also a variant of interest according to the WHO and CDC, with its earliest documentation in India in October 2020.
Lambda
Initially spreading in Peru in December 2020, the lambda variant has so far been found in states including Texas and South Carolina. It is considered a variant of interest by the World Health Organization.