Duncanville ISD rejects resignation, fires teacher over racist tweets

Duncanville school district trustees rejected a teacher's letter of resignation, instead firing her for posting a racist, profanity-laced tweet.

Vinita Hegwood, an English teacher at Duncanville High School, released a statement Thursday saying that she wished to resign, but the district said it wasn't notified.

The Duncanville Independent School District Board of Trustees received the letter during a special meeting Friday morning, but still unanimously voted to terminate her teaching contract.

Hegwood came under fire last week for her comment on Twitter about the police shooting in Ferguson, Mo. She suggested used profanity and suggested white people should kill themselves.

"Who the f--- made you dumb duck a-- crackers think I give a squat f--- about your opinions on my opinions RE: #Ferguson. Kill yourselves!" the post on her personal Twitter account said.

Hegwood said she was responding to others who racial attacked her.

"I allowed myself to respond emotionally and impulsively. My reaction in no way reflects the standards to which I have held myself and my students for the last twenty years of teaching. I accept full responsibility for my actions," she said.

The tweet was taken down, the account deleted and she was suspended without pay until the board could meet.

"Our focus at Duncanville ISD is educating our more than 13,000 students. Our 794 teachers have been and will continue to engage in the business of educating our students," the district said after the meeting.

Last week it called Hegwood's actions "absolutely reprehensible."