Principal Resigns Amid Outcry Over Antigay School Assembly

[xchrom]

http://www.gay.net/news/2012/03/15/principal-resigns-amid-outcry-over-antigay-school-assembly



magine, for a moment, that you’re a gay student at Dunkerton High School in Dunkerton Iowa, where you’re well-known, but extremely unpopular to say the least.

Now, imagine in a very different moment you’re Mike Cooper, the principal of Dunkerton High, who not long ago decided to hire Junkyard Prophet on the assumption that the very conservative Christian metal/rap band (whoa?) might know how to conduct a school assembly on bullying and the dangers of drug abuse. You would think, right?

Such an idea might have sounded like a good idea to you then, if temporarily, until that very conservative Christian metal/rap band took their very conservative Christian ideologies to Dunkerton High's stage this past Thursday. There, as if adolescence isn’t already hard enough, Dunkerton students were subjected to disturbing images of AIDs patients and abortions, while learning about why god really hates homosexuals, pre-marital sex and any resemblance of a separation between church and state. Though all of this is not surprising since Junkyard Prophet Band members belong to the extremely homophobic Minnesota organization, You Can Run But You Cannot Hide, which was recently designated a “hate group” by the Southern Poverty Law Center.

Nonetheless, when the backlash from concerned parents started to roll in, it was apparently too much for Principal Cooper to bear. Yesterday, he resigned amid the controversy over Junkyard Phrophet’s appearance, for which they were paid $1,500 in taxpayer money. Still, Dunkerton Superintendent Jim Stanton contends that Cooper’s decision—quoting the AP—“is not related to Cooper’s recommendation that the district invited the band Junkyard Prophet to perform at last week’s assembly, and said the plan had been ‘in the works’ for nearly a month.”

Why these concerned parents would believe such a statement, however, is way beyond me, given how not one single teacher or school official intervened.

[WillParkinson]

1. This is what we call...

A moment.

[sharp_stick]

2. Watched that youtube video

I can't believe that nobody walked out, at least none that I saw. Even in my small town school 20 years ago a bunch of people would have walked out on that asshole and gone straight to the paper.

Not only should Cooper resign the prick should never work again.

[William769]

3. He resigned in hopes of becoming superintendant.

Hood luck with that!

[Initech]

4. He resigned to avoid punishment in the forthcoming lawsuits.

Of which I can imagine there will be several dozen stemming from this.

What the hell was he thinking inviting a Christian "rock" (term used loosely) band to a public school? Five minutes on Google would be all you need to find out that they're classified as a hate group by the SPLC.

[William769]

5. Seriously though he is trying to be superintendent.

I would hope he resigned out of shame, but unfortunately I don't believe that to be the case.

[Initech]

6. After this I can't imagine he would stand a chance.

Who in their right mind would vote for him after such a stupid decision?

The wrong school having these bigots perform and this could have had the potential to start a full on student riot - I'm glad the students of this school were more civilized but this could have been far more disastrous.

[Fearless]

8. Hmmm... resigning was definitely career motivated.

He can't personally be sued for what he did. Just the same as a teacher can't be sued if a student gets hurt in their classroom. The district can though and I'm sure it will be. As a result, no doubt, he would have lost his job. Good riddance!

[beyurslf]

7. I have heard that "gay men average life span is 43" before

so I had to google it. Very interesting history on that little lie.