Doctor Resigns After Making Controversial Comment About First Lady

By Rick Sallinger

DENVER (CBS4) - A doctor at Denver Health Medical Center has voluntarily resigned after a controversial social media comment she made became public.

Dr. Michelle Herren made a post on Facebook about the First Lady Michelle Obama. It read: "Monkey face and poor ebonic English. There I feel better and still not racist!!! Just calling it like it is."

Herren has worked as a pediatric anesthesiologist for 10 years at Denver Health Medical Center. She also taught at the University of Colorado medical school, which is cutting ties with her.

First Amendment attorney Steven Zansberg says there are arguments for both sides.

"The doctor has a right to speak out of work on Facebook and elsewhere on a matter of public concern," Zansberg said.

But he adds, a government employer like Denver Health has an interest in maintaining a workplace and can site reasons for dismissal of a worker.

"If it caused significant disruption to the workplace or interfered with the institution's ability to provide services to the public."

Another post by Herren referred to Michelle Obama going to Harvard, saying liberals call it a place for "entitled" folks.

Terms of the resignation from Denver Health were not made public. Herren did not respond to requests for comment.

CBS4's Rick Sallinger is a Peabody award winning reporter who has been with the station more than two decades doing hard news and investigative reporting. Follow him on Twitter @ricksallinger.