Posted on 02/09/2012 9:13:43 PM PST by FailDaily.TK
A Minnesota mom is fuming after her 9-year-old son was suspended from school for mimicking Michael Jackson's famous groin-grabbing moves during a performance of "Billie Jean" at a fundraiser last week
Mindy Boberg says the principal of St. Stanislaus in Winona, Pat Bowlin, tore into her and her son, Lenny, immediately after the boy's Jacko act on Thursday night, claiming the crotch-clutching portions constituted "gross misconduct," the Winona Daily News reported.
"[Lenny] is heartbroken," Boberg wrote on her Facebook page. "He worked so hard on this and then to have your principal scream at you immediately after."
"And as of now we are told, he's suspended indefinitely and he won't even meet with us until Monday," she wrote.
Boberg told the newspaper she wasn't sure why Bowlin ripped her boy's Gloved One gag.
The boy has performed the routine at the fundraising event for the past two years, and school officials signed off on the act during a rehearsal on Tuesday, Boberg said.
In a grainy video of the performance posted on YouTube, the crowd of grade-schoolers mostly giggle and cheer as Lenny, wearing Jackson's signature single glove, nails the King of Pop's routine from the 1983 video.
Bowlin sent an email apology to school faculty, staff and families for "one act that was clearly inappropriate."
He told the Winona Daily News that the suspension was an internal issue and plans to meet with the family on Monday.
In posts on her Facebook wall, family friends slammed the principal for going too far.
“Poor guy... You should be very proud of him, he didn't do anything wrong,” one friend wrote.
"Someone needs to moonwalk all over the principals face!!!" another supporter said.
IMHO, the mom gets the 'Duh!' award here for not guiding the child toward more appropriate acts.
That there is controversy over the controversy just shows the general slide in our culture.
It seems to me that you could be projecting here. The fact that I work in public education leads me to the conclusion the Principal acted appropriately given the nature of the offense. Were I in the room and YOU attempted to "coldcock" the Principal, be assured that I would have come to the Principal's aid.
Well, I wouldn’t let a nine year old even see that Jackson video, let alone imitate it. That said, it is not the kid’s fault either, and I would get a lawyer if I had to, in order to protect his interests.
The school allowed it previously, and apparently had no complaint about it in practice, so the school shares blame. Mother had bad judgement too.
No mention of a dad.
I have a 9 year old son and if he wanted to do a Michael Jackson skit for his Catholic school the VERY first thing I would have told him is to keeps his hands off his package. Moon walk till you drop but stay away from the crotch.
“Hadn’t heard about that one. Did that actually happen? “
yeah we had a thread about it just the other day.
http://freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2841583/posts
Nine was "such a tender age" when I was nine. Today 9 is not so tender anymore. We have children that age and only slightly older today committing acts of serious crimes such as rape and murder. Our society is definately sliding towards total decay.
The kid is very lucky he has a principal willing to stand up and teach him right and wrong.
Michael Jackson on the other hand was surrounded by yes men during his crotch grabbing phase
Thanks for updating me.
The child is already scarred for life if he thinks public crotch-grabbing at a Catholic school function is okay.
Stop in the name of love.
Why would anyone object to a child mimicking a faggot pedophile child rapist? /s
SOooo the girls stopped watching their Lady GaGa video (which is worse) to observe THIS?..
Maybe there are reading classes where you work.
Next stop, Jesus Juice and chimps...
And then you would have been arrested for committing a crime.
Imagine the confusion in this 9 yr old: He does a song and performance deemed fit for the public airwaves for multiples of his own 9 yr lifetime...and he’s villified. If he’s a creep for doing this, what is his society for rewarding it so richly for a generation before he was even born?
“I would have cold cocked that principal immediately if he had pulled that on me and my 9 year old”
It’s called internet bravery
Anyways, what kind of parent defends there kids when they do
something stupid or wrong?
a bad one
Catholic school, different standards.
Perhaps there are classes in Logic you could look into where you live? You’re going to accept the written word of a “journalist”? Or, the word of the mother, who is possibly looking for a reason to file a law suit? Recall that this is what was reported in the article. Did you witness the event? Do you know anyone impartial that witnessed the event? No? Then how do you know that what was “REPORTED” is factual? Seriously! Do you always simply accept everything you read as being gospel?
Oh, and upon further reflection, I’d suggest you switch around the words in your screen name.
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