Banana Man Wins: High School Principal Gone

Yahoo Sports ^ | 9/28/11 | Ben Maller

[Lmo56]

The high school principal who pushed to suspend a 14-year-old autistic boy for running onto the field during halftime of a football game while wearing a banana man costume has resigned.

Karen Spillman lasted less than two months at Colonial Forge High School in Stafford, Va. The superintendent wouldn't say why Spillman is officially out.

Bryan Thompson became an Internet folk hero after he ended up in handcuffs in the back of a police car following his Sept. 16 stunt

[SoldierDad]

Then, I guess, the police are run by school administrators in that community? The officer used no discretion of his/her own? And, again I ask, would any other student have been treated in the same fashion? The problem I have with the knee jerk reaction against this administrator is if this student had been allowed to get away with his actions, what would other students do to top it? At what point do those supervising such venues step in and say enough is enough? IMO this administrator did the correct thing. But, I'm for holding people accountable for their bad choices. Perhaps others on FR have a different ideology.

[SoldierDad]

If the student has a diagnosed disorder (especially if that disorder is on the Autism spectrum), and is thus on an IEP, then making him write on the board 500 times would likely not be an option. Suspension would likely be the only option available to school staff. There is much that goes on within public education that adminstrators and teachers have zero control over, and of which the general public is unaware of it going on.

[Lmo56]

The problem I have with the knee jerk reaction against this administrator is if this student had been allowed to get away with his actions, what would other students do to top it?

My physics class completely dis-assembled the teacher's car in the parking lot of the school when he had to leave it overnight since it wouldn't start - and we re-assembled it in his classroom [all in one night].

That prank is STILL being talked about 34 years later ...

BTW: The principal KNEW that we did it - but couldn't prove it. He called us ALL into his office, yelled at the top of his lungs for a minute [for the benefit of his secretary], then quietly told us it was the BEST prank he had ever seen. He then burst out laughing for about three minutes ...

'Course he made us "volunteer" to dis-assemble/re-assemble it in the parking lot. Along the way, we figured out that the points were shot, so we bought a new unit and if fired right up with one turn of the key ...

[SoldierDad]

And, how many years ago did this event take place?

[Lmo56]

And, how many years ago did this event take place?

37 years ago ...

[SoldierDad]

I’d like to see students try that with the vehicles of today ;-)

[GSWarrior]

Why was he running? Was he being chased by a gorilla?