Doctor who lost job over Texas flood post says sorry for ‘regrettable comment'

The Guardian

5 days ago

A pediatrician who is no longer working for a chain of clinics affiliated with a prominent Houston hospital system after a social media post that wished voters in a Donald-Trump supporting county of central Texas 'get what they voted for' amid flash flooding that killed nearly 120 – including many children – has publicly apologized.
'I speak to you as a mother, a neighbor, a pediatrician, and a human being who is deeply sorry,' Dr Christina Propst wrote after Blue Fish Pediatrics announced Sunday she was no longer an employee there because of a social media post that the clinic said did 'not reflect the value, standards or mission' of the chain. 'I take full responsibility for a social media comment I made before we knew that so many precious lives were lost to the terrible tragedy in central Texas.
'I understand my comment caused immense pain to those suffering indescribable grief and for that I am truly sorry,' Propst added in a post first reported by the Texas news station KPRC. 'I would like to make clear that my regrettable comment was in no way a response to the tragic loss of human life … and … that is a fact that I deeply regret.'
In the post that preceded the end of her time at Blue Fish Pediatrics, Propst alluded to how Kerr county, Texas, on 4 July had – like the state as a whole – voted in favor of Trump as he defeated former vice-president Kamala Harris in November's White House election.
Donald Trump's presidential administration has since sought to erase mentions of the ongoing climate crisis and its consequences, one of which is making rainfalls like the one that devastated Kerr more common. The president has also mused about 'phasing out' the Federal Emergency Management Agency (Fema), in part so that Trump' office could be in charge of distributing disaster relief funds and ultimately 'give out less money'.
'May all visitors, children, non-Maga voters and pets be safe and dry,' said the post, which invoked an acronym for Trump's 'Make America great again' slogan. 'Kerr county Maga voted to gut Fema. They deny climate change. May they get what they voted for.'
Residents of Kerr county have since spoken about losing all of their possessions, including their homes, after the flood in question. They have also recounted seeking what have proven to be elusive answers about the level of preparedness from authorities tasked with protecting their communities.
Soon, the post made its way to Blue Fish Pediatrics, listed as an independent partner of Houston's well-known Memorial Hermann hospital network. The clinic chain – which was tagged by social media users demanding that it act against Propst – said in a statement that the group was immediately placing the message's author on leave. A statement later said that the post's author was 'no longer an employed' at the chain while expressing 'full support to the families and the surrounding communities who are grieving, recovering and searching for hope'.
Many US healthcare providers are required by their employers – as a condition of their employment – to avoid circulating opinions which could undermine trust in their profession among members of the public.
'We strongly condemn the comments that were made in that post,' Blue Fish Pediatrics' statement said. 'That post does not reflect the values, standards or mission of Blue Fish Pediatrics. We do not support or condone any statement that politicizes tragedy, diminishes human dignity, or fails to clearly uphold compassion for every child and family, regardless of background or beliefs.'
The clinic chain's statement didn't say whether Propst had resigned or was dismissed. But on Wednesday, KPRC reported that Propst – in part – had since published another post saying she wanted to 'apologize to each and every individual suffering through terrible loss in this difficult time'.
'The comment was mine and mine alone,' Propst's post said, in part. 'Even in these divisive times, some things are and should remain sacred.'
The timing of the post that cost Propst her employment caused offense, being published after communities along Texas's Guadalupe River were overwhelmed early Friday from flash flooding triggered by torrential rain. The river rose 26ft (8 meters) in 45 minutes after 1.8tn gallons of rain fell over a region including Kerr county, Texas, about 286 miles (460km) west of Texas.
As of Wednesday, officials reported that at least 119 people had died, including more than two dozen campers and counselors at the nondenominational Christian institution of Camp Mystic – with more than 160 in Kerr believed to be missing. That made up most of the more than 170 missing in all of Texas as of Wednesday.
Kerr county residents who survived the flood have spoken about losing their homes and other possessions. They have also said they are trying to get what have proven to be elusive answers about the level of preparedness from authorities in charge of their safety.
According to a biography at Blue Fish's website which was recently taken offline, Propst is a native of New York who graduated from Princeton University in 1991. She graduated from New Orleans's Tulane medical school, received certifications from the American board as well as academy of pediatrics and spent 17 years in group practice in Houston before joining Blue Fish in 2018.