A Denver, Colorado, doctor will be released from her University of Colorado position for racial Facebook comments aimed at First Lady Michelle Obama, Denver ABC 7 News has reported.
Dr. Michelle Herren, an assistant professor at CU’s School of Medicine, also will not be allowed to see patients until further notice at Denver Health Medical Center, where she is a pediatric anesthesiologist. Children’s Hospital Colorado, which also employs Herren, has not to date commented on the post.
Resident Joann Nieto discovered Herren’s offensive post the week of Nov. 21. In it, Herren wrote underneath a photo depicting the First Lady yelling: “Doesn’t seem to be speaking too eloquently here, thank god we can’t hear her! Harvard??? That’s a place for ‘entitled’ folks said all the liberals!”
The woman then added: “Monkey face and poor ebonic English!!! There! I feel better and am still not racist!!! Just calling it like it is!”
Herren later attempted to clarify her comments. She told Denver ABC 7 News that future First Lady Melania Trump is unfairly scrutinized, while Obama’s detractors have been deemed racist for their criticisms of her.
However, the post remained until Nieto informed the university’s Board of Regents. “It stayed on there for four days until I said something to the CU Board of Regents, and I sent an email to them,” Neito told ABC 7. “If I never would have mentioned anything to them, how much longer would that comment have been out there in the public world?”
In the original statement released by Denver Health on Tuesday, the hospital denounced Herren’s comments but said they were unable to do anything about it.
“Denver Health’s mission is to provide high-quality health care to all, regardless of income levels, ethnicity, gender or social background. Our staff and our patient population are reflective of the diverse Denver community we serve,” the statement read. “We don’t condone nor do we agree with the statements Dr. Herren made, as they are inconsistent with Denver Health’s mission and values. However, we cannot control the opinions our staff chooses to express as private individuals.”
The disgraced doctor has since removed the post and deleted her Facebook account.
On Dec. 1, the University of Colorado also released a statement separating and condemning the woman for her comments.
“Your comments and tone are harmful to the students we teach and the patients we care for. Your derogatory, insensitive remarks have resulted in harm to others in our community and beyond,” UC Dean of Medicine John J. Reilly wrote in a letter obtained by The Denver Post.
The school plans to terminate Herren after students expressed concerns over her being a part of the university staff, according to a Thursday New York Daily News interview with University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine spokesperson Mark Couch.
