The Bethel School District has fired first-year wrestling coach Dave
Hollenbeck for mocking the tragic death of George Floyd on Facebook,
KOMO News reports. “His behavior was not consistent with our equity
initiatives and nondiscrimination policies,” a school spokesperson said
in a statement.
The post shows Hollenbeck lying on the ground giving a thumbs up gesture
with a smile on his face as someone has their knee pressed against his
neck, similar to the position that Floyd was held in by a white officer
before losing consciousness, and dying soon after.
“Not dead yet I’m doing this for Are police officers the media is a race
baiting machine and I’m tired of it I’m going to speak out every time
if you don’t like that I’m sorry but I love All people..Wake up
America,” he wrote in the first caption of his post.
Hollenbeck later posted a poorly-written revision, stating, “This is for
all the race baiters and people that don’t What they’re talking about
when they’re saying this could kill you.”
Hollenbeck told KOMO News that he eventually realized his post was
“insensitive,” explaining that he was trying to defend the Minneapolis
police officer’s violence. His apology started the same way as Amy
Cooper’s earlier this week following her Central Park exchange with
Christian Cooper, with the proclamation that he’s not racist.
“I’m not a racist man,” Hollenbeck said. “I don’t have that in me, my
children don’t have that in them, I didn’t instill that in them. I’m
sorry that I offended anybody, that was not my point. I was trying to
show something.”
People seem to think otherwise about his “I’m not a racist” stance.
