Cedar Park Councilman Under Fire For Calling Teachers 'Leeches'

CEDAR PARK, TX — A special called meeting of the Cedar Park City Council is scheduled Thursday for potential action against one of its members who likened teachers to leeches in a social media post after some educators expressed dismay over in-person learning amid the coronavirus.

"Stop catering to the leeches. Woo Hoo," Cedar Park City Council member Tim Kelly wrote on his Facebook page on July 22. "Fire them and rehire new teachers. America’s parents do not have to put up with being held hostage by union leaders demanding unreasonable and imprudent continuations of ruinous lockdown policies. Demand a return toward normalcy."

The post was accompanied by an opinion piece from the conservative news outlet The Washington Examiner titled "Can't get out of lockdown? Blame extortion by teachers unions." In it, the author opines that teacher unions seek a "...perpetually moving goalpost of personal protection" in returning to in-person schooling.

Watch Cedar Park City Council meeting live

Kelly's comments have drawn considerable ire. Dr. Christine Mann, a Democratic candidate for a U.S. House seat, was among those condemning the council member's comments during a city council meeting last Thursday. “Several of my family members pointed out to me that the type of rhetoric used to associate me and my supporters with terrorist organizations was dangerous,” Mann, a family practice physician in Cedar Park, told the council.

In response, Kelly denied the accusation. He directed Mann to visit his Facebook page to see the post that was not removed after engendering considerable controversy. "No one was called a terrorist. Go to my Facebook page and read it yourself. English is simple."

However, a January Facebook post on Kelly's page depicts Mann and a supporter fronting one of the candidate's campaign placards. As a caption, Kelly wrote: "With close friends (Antifa, Alf, Indivisible and Terrorist endorsers) like this, who needs enemies knocking on doors for you?"

The controversy is the latest to emerge from city council over social issues. Conservative council members previously sparked division after attending, and concurrently condemning, a Drag Queen Story Hour at a nearby Leander library. An ensuing backlash prompted Cedar Park Mayor Corbin Van Arsdale to discuss decorum at a recent retreat, telling the audience at the last meeting he would present details at a future council meeting.

Related story: Cedar Park Council Members Criticized For Protesting Drag Queens

The council meeting addressing Kelly's comments can be viewed live via government access cable channel CPTV-10 that can be viewed by clicking the "Watch Live" link found here and broadcast on Spectrum Channel 10.110 and AT&T U-verse Channel 99. The special meeting is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m.