By EMS1 Staff
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — A former dispatcher filed a lawsuit against the city of Nashville after she was allegedly terminated over a Facebook post regarding Donald Trump.
Danyelle E. Bennett alleges that her First and Fourteenth Amendment rights were violated after she was fired. The suit states Bennett posted a map of “red states” and “blue states” after Trump was elected, according to FOX 17. The post indicated the margin of delegates won by Trump and Hillary Clinton, which spurred a number of comments — to which Bennett “instinctively responded” to.
“Thank God we have more America-loving rednecks. Red spread all across America,” Bennett wrote. She also wrote a derogatory term to describe African American Trump supporters.
The following day, Bennett said a colleague commented on her social media post and asked if her reply was a joke. Bennett told her co-worker she was replying to an “ignorant message” and she was “only racist against ignorance and rudeness.”
Twelve hours after the original social media post, Bennett removed the post. She was then placed on administrative leave and later terminated. In another incident, Bennett claims she was told to take off a sweatshirt with the slogan “Trump 2016” while at work.
The suit argues that Bennett was using her private social media account, which is not affiliated with her job or the city.