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Charlotte County official’s usage of racial slur prompts calls for resignation
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Charlotte County Commissioner Stephen Deutsch is under scrutiny after a complaint surfaced last week alleging he used the N-word during a work meeting.
The complaint claims Deutsch used the racial slur while speaking with D’Juan Harris, the director of the Metropolitan Planning Organization, in December.
The Charlotte County Board of Commissioners decided to publicly reprimand Deutsch and require him to undergo management training.
During a public meeting, Commissioner Bill Truex asked Deutsch to resign, saying, “Such actions are not tolerated under any circumstances. It brings shame to this entire board, and it will not be tolerated.”
Commissioner Ken Doherty echoed a similar sentiment, saying he would resign if he were in Deutsch’s position.
The vice president of the Charlotte County NAACP, Richard Patrick, also called for Deutsch’s resignation.
“Commission Deutsch’s actions were reprehensible, and his actions and conduct cannot be condoned, but should be met with the harshest punishment possible,” Patrick said.
Deutsch addressed the incident publicly for the first time.
“The statement I shared with him, I probably should not have, obviously, in retrospect,” he said.
He acknowledged the use of the racial slur in an anecdote about his own childhood, saying, “I shouldn’t have done that.”
Despite the calls for his resignation, Deutsch did not step down and plans to continue his role.
The board agreed that Deutsch must complete mandatory on-site training before the next commission meeting.
Harris did not attend the meeting, but commissioners praised his conduct and work.