A teacher in Cheshire has resigned following a video she made lambasting supporters of President-elect Donald Trump and alluding to acts of violence against anyone who voted for him.
Annie Dunleavy, a special education teacher with the Cheshire Public Schools district, has issued her resignation effective immediately, Superintendent of Schools Jeffrey Solan said in a statement issued Wednesday.
The resignation comes after Solan initially said school officials would be “temporarily removing” Dunleavy from the building where she worked while an investigation ensued into a video she made expressing her disgust at the results of the 2024 election.
In the video, she said that if people of color, poor people and gay people aren’t going to be safe in America then “neither the (expletive) are you guys.”
“And just please, please don’t test your gangster on me because you will end on a stretcher, gone forever,” Dunleavy said.
“So serious, nobody (expletive) talk to me unless you wanna swing,” she continued. “If you wanna fight, text me, call me, whatever.”
Dunleavy went on to say that those who voted for Trump should block or delete her on social media or come forward so she could “handle you how I see fit.”
Cheshire school officials ‘temporarily removing’ teacher following politically charged video
Dunleavy made the video and shared it to a private group on Snapchat, according to Solan. It was then recorded and shared publicly on social media before going viral and shared by accounts such as the controversial Libs of TikTok.
“The Cheshire Public Schools has a rich tradition of tremendous educators who welcome all students and families with respect and appreciation,” Solan told the school community Wednesday. “The comments on that video did not reflect the position of our school system. They were hurtful, deeply concerning, and ultimately undermined the faith that our community has placed in us. Every student and family has the right to attend our schools free from the concern of political prejudice let alone their safety.”
“As a leader of this school system, I feel terrible for the angst that this has caused our community and I look forward to returning our focus on the great work that our educators perform every day,” Solan said.
After the video went viral, Solan said school officials were inundated with calls and emails that were mostly from individuals outside the Cheshire community. A number of parents also attended the Cheshire Town Council meeting Tuesday night and demanded answers and accountability.
Lt. Jeffrey Sutherland of the Cheshire Police Department said this week that police launched an investigation after becoming aware of the video. He said he could not release additional details in light of the ongoing investigation.
