For Halloween This High School Principal Dressed as Trump, His Secretary as Clinton – in Jail

Parents Angered

The principal of Robert E. Lee High School in Staunton, Virginia, and his secretary are under fire after photos of their Halloween costumes were posted to the school’s website. Mark Rowicki says he was just trying to connect with students when he chose to dress up as Donald Trump for Halloween, with his secretary by his side, dressed as Hillary Clinton in an orange jumpsuit with a lock and chain around her waist, portraying her as a criminal in jail.

“WHSV’s Matthew Fultz reached out to Robert E. Lee H.S. principal Mark Rowicki for comment on the costume choice Wednesday afternoon,” the local ABC affiliate reports. “The principal told Fultz over the phone that he felt it was just a fun thing to do with the students. The principal explained that they meant no harm to anyone or to offend anyone.”

Rowicki doesn’t seem particularly remorseful and doesn’t seem to grasp the lesson he’s taught his students, including a lack of respect for the democratic process and for the institutions and tenets of the American judicial system.

“He said if anyone is offended, they can call him directly or come down to the school and talk with him. He told Fultz he has not heard any complaints from students, teachers, faculty or parents so far.” 

Superintendent of Staunton City Schools, Dr. Linda Reviea, also doesn’t seem to grasp the gravity of the offense. She offered this statement:

It is a longstanding tradition of Staunton City Schools—and of many school divisions across the United States—to allow students and staff to engage in festive activities and dress in costume for Halloween. That said, the particular costumes worn by two employees at R.E. Lee High School were in poor judgment, given the current political climate and the extraordinarily strong sentiments for the 2016 presidential candidates. I became aware of the situation on Tuesday night and instructed our staff to remove the images in question from Lee High School’s website today (Wednesday). We are handling the situation as a personnel matter and addressing the issue with relevant staff.

Activist and 69-year resident Barbara Lee has a different opinion.

“He could have dressed as Donald Duck, not Donald Trump,” Lee tells WHSV in the video above. “I want to make it clear, this was not a good joke, it upsets me.”

Parents, too, are upset, apparently more than Rowicki grasps.

Emberly Lynn Martin, who has two children that attend Robert E. Lee High School, and is herself a graduate of it, wrote on Facebook, “I don’t care who you are or are not voting for,” WTVR reports. “You are professionals, who work with children. Some more impressionable then others. The fact that any school official would think it’s okay to dress like this leaves me appalled and floored.”

“What message are you sending to any of them when their high school principal dresses up like a man who wants to deport them, says things like ‘she’s a nasty woman’, or ‘grab em by the p—–?’”

The school is named for the Civil War’s Confederate Army General.

 

Image by Emberly Lynn Martin/Facebook 
Hat tip: Talking Points Memo