Jefferson County School Board member Donna Pike apologizes for social media posts

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Donna Pike
Donna Pike [Photo Credit: Jefferson County Schools]
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[Photo via Donna Pike’s Facebook page]

Irondale-Republican and Jefferson County School Board member Donna Pike is apologizing for social media post that some have deemed racist.

On Tuesday, Pike found herself in the hot seat after being called out by local Birmingham activist Carlos Chaverst for a Facebook post she shared on June 1 with an picture of former President Barack Obama advisor Valerie Jarrett but with the caption “No! I’m not black! I’m Valerie Varret (sic) and I’m a Muslim, born in Iran!”

Pike didn’t deny the post.

“I shared it, and I’m not sorry I did, and I meant it because it shows hypocrisy in our country. Some people can get away with it and some people can’t. It was not racist,” Pike responded to Chaverst and the rest of the school board, according to AL.com.

Pike also posted an image in support of Roseanne Barr, who’s revived sitcom was recently cancelled by ABC after the comedian posted a racist and Islamophobic tweet that attacked Jarrett.

The post read, “Everybody seem to be against Roseanne. Do you still support her? If you still support her, share this picture and comment with yes.”

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[Photo via Donna Pike’s Facebook page]

Tuesday night, she deleted the posts and on Wednesday she apologized for them.

“I didn’t realize they would be perceived as they are,” she told WVTM 13.