Washington high school principal resigns after backlash from Facebook post about Kobe Bryant

CAMAS, Wash. — A Washington state high school principal resigned Friday after backlash continued to mount about comments she made on her personal Facebook page about the death of former NBA star Kobe Bryant.

Camas High School Principal Liza Sejkora announced her resignation Friday afternoon, Jeff Snell, superintendent for the Camas School district, told KGW. Snell had placed Sejkora on administrative leave Tuesday.

“This has been a tumultuous week, however, I’ve been impressed with the level of professionalism our staff members have displayed as well as the caring and compassion from our families,” Snell said Friday.

Sejkora came under fire for her social media comments about Bryant, 41, the former NBA star who died Jan. 26 in a California helicopter crash. Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter and seven other people were killed when the helicopter crashed on a hillside in Calabasas, California.

“Not gonna lie. Seems to me that Karma caught up with a rapist today,” Liza Sejkora wrote Jan. 26. The post ended with a shrug emoji, KGW reported.

According to The Oregonian, Sejkora later deleted the post “because the comments missed my intent. You are free to judge me for the post just as I am free to judge the person the post was about."

Sejkora later apologized for the post in a letter to parents and students.

Bryant was accused of raping a 19-year-old employee at a Colorado resort in 2003, The Oregonian reported. Bryant claimed the sex was consensual and prosecutors later dropped felony assault charges, the newspaper reported. Bryant settled out of court in 2005 after the woman filed a civil suit for an unspecified amount, The Columbian reported.

A public memorial service for Bryant will be held Feb. 24 at the Staples Center, the Los Angeles Times reported.

Sejkora said her Facebook post stayed up for about an hour before she removed it, KGW reported. However, a screen grab was shared online with parents and students, prompting calls for the principal’s resignation, the television station reported.

“I am working with the Camas leadership to resign my position as principal of Camas High School,” Sejkora said in a statement Friday. “Students and staff deserve to have a learning environment free of disruptions.”

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