Mock assassination of Trump stirs controversy at San Antonio school

Marshall High School

Marshall High School Photo: Photo By Lauri Gray Eaton Photo: Photo By Lauri Gray Eaton Image 1 of / 15 Caption Close Mock assassination of Trump stirs controversy at San Antonio school 1 / 15 Back to Gallery

A skit portraying the assassination of President-elect Donald Trump by two 10th grade students at Marshall High School provoked anger and dismay from the parents of a student who watched it unfold last week.

Harold and Melinda Bean said that in the skit, entitled “The Assassination of Donald Trump,” one of the boys made a gunfire sound effect with his cell phone as the other boy, portraying Trump, fell to the ground in mock death.

All of the students were required to submit descriptions of their English class presentations beforehand to be approved by their teacher, the parents said, but these two students in particular changed their skit afterward.

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“Appropriate action” was taken to reprimand both boys and their teacher, said Northside ISD spokesman Barry Perez. The parents, however, believe more should have been done, including suspending the two students.

“Honestly I have run out of words to describe how angry I am and how shocked I am that they’re still in school today,” Melinda Bean said.

Younger children using their hands to simulate guns on the playground have been suspended, she said, and this was far worse.

The teacher apologized Monday, Harold Bean said, but that wasn’t enough.

“I don’t understand how the teacher can repeat an apology and be right there back at work on Monday morning,” he said. “Though we understand she is apologetic, it does not make the situation right.”

Perez said campus officials investigated the incident and found that the teacher didn’t condone it and stopped the skit. But Harold Bean questioned why she allowed it to start once she heard the title.

“Pardon my language but I think that it’s a bunch of B.S. if they’re going to tell you the kids were stopped,” Harold Bean said.

sfosterfrau@express-news.net