LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Facebook blames technology for blocking posts by Jefferson County Public Schools about Black principals, but some of those same educators say the social media platform has a bigger problem. 

JCPS announced on social media that 11 principals were hired -- five are Black and six are white. The district said Facebook removed every one of the posts with Black leaders saying they were spam or that they violated the platform's community standards, which are meant to prevent false advertising and fraud.

It took help from Kentucky U.S. Rep. John Yarmuth to get those posts back up. After he contacted the company, the posts were republished in a matter of hours.

In a statement Facebook said, "These posts were mistakenly removed by our automated system. We sincerely regret the error and are looking into how it happened."

Three new Jefferson County Public Schools principals are speaking out about the issue that over-shadowed what should have been a proud moment for female leaders of color.

Olmsted Academy South Principal Synthia Shelby, Conway Middle School Principal Dr. Jeannie Lett and W.E.B. DuBois Academy Principal Dr. Monica Hunter are three of the educators whose posts were taken down.

"I was thinking what's going on here? Why is it that African American females posts have been taken down, but our white counterparts have not," said Hunter. "I thought, 'This is 2022.' How do we still have algorithms and social media with all the technology we have, with all the brilliant minds we have, how is it this algorithm pinpointed us?"

Shelby's came down first, followed by Lett's and eventually Hunter's and the remaining two Black female educators. None of the white principals' posts were flagged or removed by the algorithm.

"I celebrated every last one of those people because those were my colleagues," said Shelby. "We were diminished in our capacity to celebrate what we should have had as an as an enormous moment for Black women being able to be in leadership in Jefferson County. It was very disappointing to friends and family. My joy was decreased because I wasn't able to be celebrated in the way I could've been celebrated."

Combined, the three are entering their new roles with more than 40 years of experience with Kentucky's largest school district, and Lett is also making history as her school's first Black leader.

"For them to kind of steal this moment for us, it was very disappointing and sad that nobody caught this," Lett said.

The three all say they are thankful Rep. Yarmuth and JCPS had the error corrected. "It made me feel like I mattered," Hunter added. "Once they spoke out and they voiced their opinions with great pride and confidence, I knew that I mattered and that my position mattered as well."

Now, each said they are ready to focus on the school year ahead.

"My hope is that we can all celebrate the great work that all the African American women and all principals are doing in this district," Shelby said.

Hunter said she hopes some lessons have been learned and Facebook won't repeat its mistakes.

"My message to Facebook would be to be careful. If you are a company, if you are an organization that prides itself in pushing inclusivity, pushing equity but yet you have this disparaging algorithm, shame on you and fix it," Hunter said.

Shelby agreed. "We expect action on this. We expect that this is not going to happen again."

Lett said she was very surprised and disappointed by what happened. "I would hate to think that there are other African American leaders around the state, around the nation that this has happened to."

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