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I don't know what to think of this. On the one hand, it was all in fun, but on the other hand, he should separate himself from the students as far as not acting as an equal.
Principal suspended for giving kid a ‘wedgie’
Mont. district lets official return after 6 days to think about what he’d done
Updated: 8:11 p.m. CT Oct 24, 2006
LIVINGSTON, Mont. - The principal of Park High School returned to school Tuesday after a six-day suspension for giving a student a "wedgie." The Livingston School District Board held a special meeting Monday and approved Superintendent Hannibal Anderson's recommendation that Principal Eric Messerli be allowed to return to work.
"It has been clearly recognized and stated that the behavior is inappropriate, unprofessional and unacceptable," Anderson said.
Messerli's behavior "warrants substantial disciplinary action" but was not sufficient grounds for a recommendation for termination, he said.
Messerli was suspended for two days without pay and four days with pay for grabbing a Park High senior's soccer jersey and pulling it over his head and giving the student a "wedgie" by pulling up on the waist band of his underwear. The incident happened on Oct. 5 at a junior varsity soccer game.
Messerli cried Monday as he read a statement to the board and the public.
"I've made mistakes in my life, but none have had the impact that this one has had," he said.
He said his first reaction was to resign, but he wanted to "tackle this mess" head on.
"I want to live in a world where we don't have to hide when we screw up," he said.
Public comments about Messerli, voiced by students, parents and community members, ranged from reprimand to encouragement.
"What could be better than showing how you bounce back after a mistake?" community member Brad Snow said.
"The days of a school staff person laying hands on a student are long gone," said a woman in the audience.
Park High Vice Principal Bob Stevenson and girls' soccer coach Nate Anderson, who both witnessed the Oct. 5 incident, expressed support for Messerli. They said his actions were a mistake, but they were done in an effort to joke around with the student.
"It was meant in playfulness," Anderson said.
Others, including trustee Greg Brainerd, said Messerli's trying to be on equal level with students was the problem.
He attributed the incident to "loss of traditional authority structure," which he believes should be re-established in the school system.
Anderson said Messerli also received a letter of reprimand.
© 2006 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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I don't know what to think of this. On the one hand, it was all in fun, but on the other hand, he should separate himself from the students as far as not acting as an equal.
best principal ever
Bad touch.
At least it wasn't an atomic wedgie.
Fire the asshole....seriously, that's not cool to take part in embarrassing and singleing out a student.
Spoken like someone who suffered through wedgies when he was in school, yes?
I have never had one, nor given one, so I am not one to judge here.
and i am moving to Montana shortly....hilarious.
I agree with everything you said.
RUN, THE WORLD IS GOING TO END!
The suspension seems counterproductive to re-establishing the "traditional authority structure." Why not reprimand him in private? Were they trying to make an example of him to ward off other Principal-Student wedgie incidents?
when i was a senior in high school sometimes we'd give wedgies to the freshman football players. it was easy to go atomic because jock straps only have the band at the back and it's easier to stretch it all the way over.
i used to be quite an asshole.
used to be?
kidding.
I really am floored by this to the point that either way you go, has lots of negatives.....
I don't see what the big deal is... Our principal used to run around the guys' shower slapping bare asses with a wet towel (or sometimes his hand). , sometimes he'd sneak up on us and take pictures when we weren't expecting it. Crazy guy... But cool as .
Times are changing.
Well, if they fire this guy, he can always get a job in the Maverick front office.
I don't see the grave harm. Not enough to talk about firing the guy. Just make it clear he can't touch the students.
uMMM, that's slightly disturbing and almost as weird as the wedgie story....
I wish I had a principal that did that.
Aren't you still in high school? Maybe you do and just don't know it.
If you are talking to me, you are misinformed.
Smack
Nah, he always took off all of his clothes too so we wouldn't be uncomfortable.
rayray get that out of your sig, I don't care what bet you lost...take that out.
It's been a long day, I can't believe I didn't catch the joke on that the first time...
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