High School Wrestling Coach Fired Over Facebook Post After George Floyd’s Death

A high school wrestling coach has been fired after sharing a controversial post following the tragic death of George Floyd.

The Bethel School District in Washington has fired Dave Hollenbeck after a Facebook post went live of him smiling on the ground giving a thumbs-up while there is a knee on the back of his neck, much like the position Floyd was in prior to his tragic death.

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District spokesman Doug Boyles told KIRO 7 on Thursday:

“We have completed our investigation. Dave Hollenbeck is no longer employed by the Bethel School District. His behavior was not consistent with our equity initiatives and nondiscrimination policies.”

Boyles added:

“This was his first year as a wrestling coach at Bethel High School. As wrestling season is over, he is not working for us right now.”

The since-deleted FB post read:

“This is for all the race baiters and people that don’t What (sic) they’re talking about when they’re saying that this could kill you.”

The caption on the image seems to have been later updated, as a second screenshot being shared online (see them HERE) reads:

“Not dead yet I’m doing this for Are [sic] 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.”

Hollenbeck defended his post in an interview with the outlet:

“I did not tell any lies; I showed that I was OK from a knee on my neck. That is it. I did not say anything racist and maybe it was insensitive at the time.”

Watch more (below):

Hollenbeck later spoke with a second local outlet, KOMO News, to declare himself as not being racist:

“I’m not a racist man. 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.”

He further elaborated that he was defending the technique:

“I have a specialty in fighting on the ground, and I know that just putting your knee on the back –to me, I would say that not going to lead to death. Now did he have other underlying issues? Maybe.”

Many experts have condemned the knee restraint which Derek Chauvin used, as seen in the deeply disturbing video taken prior to George’s death.

[Image via WENN.]

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