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Parents express frustrations at Cheshire Town Council meeting after teacher on leave for viral video

A Cheshire special education teacher is on leave after making threatening comments in a video that has gone viral on social media.

CHESHIRE, Conn. — The Cheshire Town Council held a meeting Tuesday night after a video circulated online, showing a Connecticut teacher making threatening comments on social media.

School officials said the Cheshire teacher was temporarily removed from the school. The district has not yet identified the teacher, but FOX61 has learned that she is assigned to special education at Chapman Elementary School in Cheshire. 

Some parents are not happy with what was said.

FOX61 has not been able to authenticate or determine how the video was obtained. In the video, the teacher is heard using obscenities and alluding to threats of violence against those who voted for President-elect Donald Trump.

Parents are disgusted with how the superintendent handled this situation and are upset local politicians on both sides haven't commented publicly.

"I saw a woman in crisis and then when I replayed it a couple of times,” Amy Bourdon, a Cheshire mom said. “I got up from my table and went and locked my front door."

Bourdon is a Republican and has a special needs son in Cheshire Public Schools, which is why she felt the need to address the council.

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"We are the targets,” Bourdon said. “Our lives have been targeted by an individual that cashes a paycheck from the town of Cheshire every week."

She is not the only one who feels this way.

Cheshire Chairman Peter Talbot listed off other political incidents in town, including individuals with controversial signs standing in front of town hall.

"This kind of rhetoric has no place in our society and serves absolutely no purpose. Cheshire, we are better than this,” Talbot said.

Lorie Barnes, who has lived in Cheshire all her life, said she’s tired of whispering.

“I'm tired of being a Trump supporter and whispering,” she said.

Barnes said her grandson will be moving from England and would be moving to the district in which the teacher teaches at.

"I can't unsee the video guys...and ladies. I can't unsee it and I can't walk into that school...I’m literally shaking, I can't walk into that school and hand my kid off to that person," Barnes said.

In a statement from the president of Connecticut Education Association, a teacher's union, CEA President Kate Dias said regarding the video, “CEA values the right to free speech and respects the diverse opinions of our members. We know that emotions can run high after an election, and we encourage everyone to engage in respectful conversations as part of our democratic process. Keeping our discussions civil and focused is important in maintaining a positive environment in our schools. We must continue to share our views constructively while prioritizing respect, unity, and our shared commitment to educating and caring for our students."

This incident is a part of an active investigation with the Cheshire Police Department. Cheshire Superintendent Jeff Solan said the public schools are reviewing the situation as a personnel matter and are following all applicable laws.

Kaye Paddyfote is a multimedia journalist for FOX61 News. She can be reached at kpaddyfote@fox61.com. Follow her on XFacebook and Instagram

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