Comal ISD Board of Trustees President Apologizes for ‘China Virus’ Reference
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Comal ISD Board of Trustees President David Drastata apologized tonight for calling COVID-19 the ‘China virus’ in an Aug. 17 email to Canyon Athletic Booster Club parents.
The apology was posted to the club’s website several hours after MyCanyonLake.com asked Drastata, who is president of the club, to respond to complaints from parents who found the term offensive.
“…I referred to COVID-19 in a manner that has caused offense; for this I sincerely apolgoize,” Drastata said. “My choice of words should not be a reflection on the Canyon Athletic Booster Club, Canyon High School or Comal ISD. The incident has given me pause to reflect on how important it is to be thoughtful in my words, actions and deed.”
The purpose of the original email was to announce an Aug. 31 meeting, discuss parking spaces, ticket sales, website and merchandising.
But Drastata warned that a storefront location in the cafeteria might not be ready “because of some space issues due to the china virus.”
The booster club’s website has since updated the post to say “COVID-19.”
Comal ISD Supt. Andrew Kim is of Asian descent.
Drastata also sits on the San Antonio Chamber of Commerce’s board of directors. According to LinkedIn, he is a market manager for Walmart.
MyCanyonLake.com has reached out to Comal ISD for its reaction as well as Walmart and the San Antonio Chamber of Commerce.
John Yang, president and executive director of Asian Americans Advancing Justice-AAJC, or Advancing Justice-AAJC, said in interview today that use of the term ‘China virus’ is disturbing and he worries about its effect on students. Click here to read that story.
On Aug. 20 a school board member in Cobb, Georgia also sparked controversy by emailing retirees that “Since the China virus is still of concern, the CCSD Retiree ceremony was canceled this year.”
A spokesperson for Cobb County School District responded, calling David Banks an elected official who communicates his own views and opinions.
Mr. Drastata is President of the Comal ISD Board of Trustees and a representative of ALL parents of athletes at Canyon High School through CABC. The issue is not how he should personally view a virus that has killed over 180,000 Americans this year alone, or what he should believe or say in his personal conversations with friends and family. The issue also isn’t those who are not offended by his mischaracterization of COVID 19. Writing respectfully about our children to a diverse group of parents in his official capacity as a leader of CABC requires the intellect and sensibility to use respectful language, and the correct terminology to describe COVID 19. Mr. Drastata clearly let his personal prejudice slip in to a professional message, but now at least everyone knows exactly where he stands. Perhaps that was the goal.
“Chinese Communist party virus” suit your sensibilities?
I saw no offense as long as the leaders of our Country continue to use the exact phrase to describe this.
Mr Drastata has nothing to apologize for. It did originate in China. Examples of diseases named after places they originated from: West Nile Virus, Guinea Worm, Ebola, Zika Fever, German Measles, Spanish Flu, etc. Cancel culture is a dangerous thing to embrace, it’s incrementally suffocating to everyone.
It only has one name. Sad an educator doesn’t know the scientific terminology. Or maybe he does, but is trying to make a racist point. https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/technical-guidance/naming-the-coronavirus-disease-(covid-2019)-and-the-virus-that-causes-it
Mr. Drastata is President of the Comal ISD Board of Trustees and a representative of ALL parents of athletes at Canyon Hough School through CABC. The issue is not how he should personally view a virus that has killed over 180,000 Americans this year alone, or what he should believe or say in his personal conversations with friends and family. Writing respectfully to a diverse group of parents in an official capacity as a leader of CABC requires the intellect and sensibility to use respectful language, and the correct terminology to describe COVID 19. Mr. Drastata clearly let his personal prejudice slip into a professional message, but now at least everyone knows exactly where he stands. Perhaps that was the goal.