SAN DIEGO (NEWS 8) – The president of the La Mesa – Spring Valley School District Board on Tuesday faced calls to resign over a post on his personal Facebook page.
Some parents and students feel the comments David Chong made in a campaign video, in which he endorsed El Cajon mayor Bill Well’s now-failed Congressional bid, were insensitive in the wake of the Parkland Florida high school shooting.
In the video, Chong said: “Half of our lawmakers are taking firearms policy advice from kids who were eating Tide Pods just last week.”
The video was posted to Chong’s personal Facebook page in March. He said it was made as the owner of his gun store, not as a public official.
At the time, protesters attended a school board meeting but Chong was not in attendance. They vowed to return when he was present. On Tuesday night, Chong listened to them, but issued no apologies.
Kyra Greene is not only a parent in Chong’s school district, but also a survivor of a shooting at a college in Massachusetts.
“I think every elected official should be paying attention to every person in their community who lives there," said Greene.
Chong, who has not apologized, said he stands by his words. When asked if his point in the video was right to be made in jest or as joke, he said he could see how some would be offended but remains a larger issue.
“The second amendment goes above and beyond someone’s right to not like it anymore. It’s more important than someone’s feeling of ‘oh, I am offended,’” he said.
Greene and others want Chong to resign, but realize that may not happen.
“If that is not a decision he is going to make, then I will be joining other people in this community to make sure someone else is elected to represent our children,” said Greene.
Chong, who has been with the school board for four years, said he would not resign. He is up for re-election in November and said he is even more excited now to seek re-election.
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