'It's awesome he's dying:' MPS teacher on leave after tweets on Rush Limbaugh's lung cancer

MILWAUKEE -- Milwaukee Alderman Bob Donovan in a statement Wednesday, Feb. 5 called for the discipline of a Milwaukee Public Schools teacher due to his tweets in the wake of Rush Limbaugh's revelation that he has advanced lung cancer. The alderman wrote that this teacher, "has no business in an MPS system classroom." MPS officials announced Wednesday afternoon the teacher was placed on leave.

Rush Limbaugh, a prominent political radio host, said Monday, Feb. 3 he was beginning treatment for lung cancer. Limbaugh, 69, told his radio audience Monday that he was diagnosed with an advanced stage of the disease. He said the diagnosis was confirmed on Jan. 20. During his State of the Union address Tuesday, President Donald Trump awarded Limbaugh the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

After Limbaugh's announcement, Donovan said in his statement that Travis Sarandos, a teacher at Milwaukee High School of the Arts, took to Twitter and "told his 1,323 followers he was glad," writing, "Rush Limbaugh absolutely should have to suffer from cancer. It's awesome that he's dying, and hopefully, it is as quick as it is painful."

Donovan's statement noted Sarandos took down his Twitter page Tuesday. FOX6 News obtained screenshots of the tweets.

"It's so disappointing, and as far as I'm concerned, he needs to go," Alderman Donovan told FOX6 News Wednesday. "This kind of hatred has no role to play in people who are teaching our kids. It's there. It's out there, and you can't hide. I just think it's terrible."

Donovan told FOX6 there were other tweets published by Sarandos that he found highly offensive, including one he described as being hateful toward Christians.

Alderman Donovan's full statement is below:

An MPS spokeswoman issued this statement Wednesday:

Sarandos responded to FOX6's requests for an interview Wednesday with the following statement: