Principal Mark Rowicki greeted his students at Robert E. Lee High School in Staunton, Va., on Monday dressed as Donald Trump, a get-up that included a Trump campaign button pinned to his lapel and a “Make America Great Again” hat.
The school secretary also got in the spirit that day, donning a short blond wig, a chain belt and an orange jumpsuit — not unlike one worn by prisoners — with a “Hillary R. Clinton” name tag.
Their Halloween costumes have spurred criticism from some parents and school leaders. Some have accused the pair of pushing a political agenda on impressionable teenagers and bringing the ugliness generated by the presidential campaign into the school building.
Neither Rowicki nor the secretary, Stephanie Corbett, could be reached for comment Wednesday. Pictures of the pair in their costumes had appeared in a photo gallery on the school’s home page but were later taken down at the superintendent’s direction. The News Leader newspaper in Staunton first reported the story.
It is the latest example of the deeply polarizing presidential campaign cycle pushing its way into schools. Some teachers have avoided talking about the election altogether because it rouses too much anxiety and conflict among their students. Across the country, some students have repurposed campaign rhetoric to bully their classmates, targeting minority and immigrant students in particular.
Totally unacceptable. Schools should be as free as possible from electioneering. I question the wisdom of even having both candidates represented, given the contentiousness of this election cycle. However, to have a school official as Hillary in jail garb? I can’t stress the bad taste and poor judgement enough. The mistake was Hillary in orange.
Both secretary and principal should be fired. This lapse in judgement goes beyond the pale. Unless the secretary was forced under duress to dress as “jail bird Hillary”, she needs to go also. The principal must assume full responsibility.
I expect the community will call for both heads on a platter.
Apparently, I am not the only one.
