Idaho Fine Arts Academy teacher posts racially charged, sexual comment about Boise mayor
The West Ada School District says a teacher who posted online a sexually explicit, racially charged negative comment about the Boise mayor doesn’t share the values of the district.
Idaho Fine Arts Academy classical music director Rita Soltesz made the comment on Facebook over the weekend about Mayor Lauren McLean, grabbing the attention of parents and the school district.
“Her white supremacist hater (a--) needs to get laid! ... by BLM members. Should be a group activity ... and make it go viral! ... I’m still deciding if they should wear masks during the activity,” Soltesz posted in a Facebook comment. The comment was posted in response to an article on mediarightnews.com, which details how a petition is in the works to recall McLean after she criticized white supremacists who disrupted a recent Black Lives Matter Defund the Police rally in Boise.
Eric Exline, spokesperson for the West Ada School District, told the Statesman on Tuesday night that he could not comment on any disciplinary action the teacher might face because it would be a personnel matter, and that information is not disclosed.
”The statement she made clearly does not reflect the values of the West Ada School District,” he said. “Nor do we condone the language she used.”
Exline verified that in addition to teaching at the Idaho Fine Arts Academy, Soltesz also teaches music at Eagle Middle School.
The Idaho Statesman requested copies of Soltesz’s emails in July from her school-provided account. She did receive emails criticizing her for the racist language she used in the Facebook comment.
Boise Police Department spokesperson Haley Williams said Tuesday that she couldn’t confirm anything about Soltesz’s online comment in relation to BPD, but Williams did say there are active investigations into threats against the mayor.
This story was originally published July 21, 2020 at 12:44 PM.
