School guard fired over 'black thug' post to be reinstated

VINELAND (AP) -- A New Jersey school security guard fired over Facebook posts that used the phrase "black thug" to describe suspects accused of killing a Philadelphia police officer will be reinstated next month.

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Mary Czaplinski will return to her job on Sept. 1 as part of the settlement between her and Vineland school officials, who approved the agreement last week, the Vineland Daily Journal reported.

Under the settlement, Czaplinski's personnel file will reflect a suspension without pay running from March 27 to June 30, and she will be required to complete a sensitivity course, said Joseph Rossi, the district's personnel director. Pending litigation related to the case will also be dismissed.

"I think there is an acknowledgment of how we want to conduct ourselves as public employees that serve students," Rossi said.

The guard was fired for conduct unbecoming a public employee after Czaplinski, according to court documents, used the phrase "black thug" to describe the suspects on Facebook and suggested that "all white people should start riots and protests and scare the hell out of them." She added that she was praying hard for the slain officer and posed a picture of him with a caption calling him a hero.

Czaplinski declined to comment, but her attorney, Frank Corrado, said he agrees to the terms of the settlement.

School board members declined to comment on the settlement.