The Palo Alto Educators Association, which represents over 800 Palo Alto Unified School District teachers, withdrew its support for School Board Trustee Rowena Chiu in a formal statement this afternoon.

The statement followed an emergency PAEA representative council meeting last night, where members discussed Chiu’s recent social media activity. Chiu reposted and commented on an X post that singled out Executive Director of Curriculum and Instruction Danae Reynolds this Monday, choosing to “associate herself with racist comments against a PAUSD staff member,” according to the statement.

The private meeting occurred after two separate statements on Wednesday called for Chiu’s resignation — one from 13 former school board trustees and another from the Palo Alto Management Association, which consists of principals, administrators and other school board members.

Regarding Chiu’s social media activity, PAEA asserted in its statement that it “forcefully denounces all forms of bigotry,” and that Chiu commented on a post that “specifically targets, and subjects a staff employee to an online racist attack.”

A private, informal petition against Chiu’s removal was sent to a Palo Alto desi parent group chat this morning.

In the most recent school board election on Nov. 5, PAEA previously endorsed Chiu, along with board members Josh Salcman and Alison Kamhi.

To address the situation, the PAEA statement also urges that Chiu, along with all school board members, engage in a formal, mediated discussion on the consequences of their public and private conduct.