School board member who targeted Muslims and blacks resigns

SOUTH PARIS, Maine – A school board member in Maine whose social media posts targeted Muslims and black people has resigned.

Robert Celeste on Monday denied his resignation last week from the regional school board had anything to do with critics of such posts who have called him racist and hateful.

Celeste defended his posts about protecting the white race to news outlets and told the Bangor Daily News that anyone who disagrees with Islam is considered racist.

Parents called for Celeste’s ouster at a recent school board meeting. They cited posts such as one addressed to Muslims that claimed the U.S. has the world’s highest concentration of armed Christians.

Celeste often criticized the teaching of evolution while serving on the school board that covers eight communities. He was elected in an uncontested race in 2016.

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Information from: Bangor Daily News, http://www.bangordailynews.com