A Georgia high school teacher who was placed on administrative leave from the classroom after comparing President Trump’s campaign slogan “Make America Great Again” to a swastika is speaking out for the first time since video of the exchange went viral.

Lyn Orletsky, a teacher of five years at River Ridge High School in Woodstock, was seen on video kicking two students out of her class after they refused to turn their shirts bearing the pro-Trump slogan inside out. She was also heard saying it had nothing to do with Mr. Trump, but the slogan itself, which she compared to a swastika.

Ms. Orletskytold the Atlanta Journal-Constitution in an interview Thursday morning that she thought the shirts would be offensive to minority students in the class: “This was not political”

“I told the boys, in light of everything that has happened [in Charlottesville, Virginia], I don’t think this is an appropriate slogan to be wearing at school. Could they please go to the restroom and turn the shirt inside out?” she said.

“People can wear President Trump T-shirts, it’s the statement, ‘Make America Great Again’ that’s the problem.”

The video went viral and the Cherokee County School District reportedly became the target of threatening emails. The district apologized for the teacher’s behavior and announced that she would be placed on administrative leave indefinitely.
Read more: WT

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