Greenville Tech Administrator Wants Job Back After Calling Evacuees "Yard Apes"
-- WHNS, Fox News

A former administrator at Greenville Tech who resigned earlier this month, now wants her job back. Renee Holcombe stepped down as Associate Vice President of Student Services after making comments some found offensive. She admits to calling the evacuees of Hurricane Katrina who came to Greenville “yard apes” at two separate employee meetings.

On the Greenville Tech campus, controversy over the former adminstrator’s comments still has student’s talking. Bradley Dendy told Fox Carolina, "I think she should have kept it to herself." And Carrie Anne Thaxton said Holcombe never should have made the comment. Thaxton said "I don't think she meant what she said, but this day and age you can't say anything because you don't know, people take everything differently."

Now Holcombe has filed an appeal with the State Budget and Control Board Office of Human Resources to get her job back. Student Jennifer Deberry hopes that doesn’t happen. Deberry told us, "She knew what she was doing before she did it and I just don't think they should give her another chance."

Members of the NAACP agree. They want to make sure that Holcombe never works at Greenville Tech again. President Paul Guy said, "The use of this term demonstrates a total lack of sensitivity and shows a deep cultural bias toward black people."

But Renee Holcombe and her lawyer say the term wasn’t meant in a racial way. Holcombe says “yard apes” was used in the book “Ramona Quimby Age 8” by Beverly Cleary. In one passage the book reads “she yelled again, tears of anger in her eyes, yard apes!”.

Fox Carolina talked to Holcombe’s lawyer Melvin Hutson. He said, “We really don’t understand or agree with the NAACP’s position. This was an unintentional insult even if it was an insult.” But members of the NAACP say the use of “yard apes” is never acceptable when referring to people no matter with their race is. Civil rights activist Ennis Fant said, "Everybody is a part of the human family irrespective to color, we all pay taxes in this state."

Fox Carolina called Renee Holcombe, but she had no comment. Members of the NAACP plan to meet with the President of Greenville Tech on Monday. They are also investigating other concerns on campus like the lack of minority representation in managerial positions. We’ll keep you posted about what happens on The Ten O’clock News.