Teacher Says That Homosexuality Isn’t The Underlying Issue Over Suspension
Full disclosure, I am a former student at RPHS, graduating in 1999, and was a student of Ken Simon’s.
PECULIAR, MO – Raymore-Peculiar High School teacher Ken Simon, 70, is out of a job after showing his senior class a video from 1959 which taught people to avoid strangers because they might be homosexuals. Simon, interviewed by The Libertarian Republic, describes the permanent suspension as a bullying tactic from an administration which has been trying to push him out for a long time, ostensibly because of his age.
LISTEN:
The video in question was a “Boys Beware” PSA, and was created by the Inglewood California Police Department for training purposes. The film talks about homosexuals as pedophiles.
‘Jimmy played baseball all afternoon and didn’t feel like walking home so he decided to thumb a ride,’ the film explains. ‘You see, Ralph’s a homosexual, a person who demands an intimate relationship with members of their own sex, but by now Jimmy felt a fondness for Ralph and they continued to go places together.’
Simon showed the video in a class that was designed to teach students about law enforcement, and the changing attitudes towards homosexuality. A police department that created such a PSA today would probably be shut down from protests in no time.
“I did say right when I started, let’s look at this and see how things have changes since 1959,” Simon said.
Simon says the real agenda behind this doesn’t have anything to do with homosexuality, though. He argues that the school principal had it out for him, and describes a confrontation three years ago. Principal Steven Miller called him into the office and harshly criticized him, suggesting that he had “nothing to offer the school.”
Simon also received a note threatening that he would be terminated in 30 days if he did not improve. This note was handed to him in front of his students, causing him to break down crying in front of the class. While it may be illegal to terminate someone due to their age, Simon believes that this is exactly what’s happening. Simon says that other teachers told him he was given the law enforcement class specifically because it was designed for him to fail. The principal wanted him out, and was looking for any excuse he could find.
With two weeks of classes left to go, Simon is banned from attending graduation, and has been cut off from the school’s email accounts so that he can speak to other teachers. He plans to protest by appearing at the final day of school’s classes and sitting outside with a sign to the students saying “Happy Graduation.” Simon is retiring this year, but he says it wasn’t really by choice. He claims that Principal Steven Miller wanted him out and found any excuse he could to eject him.
Students, alumni, and friends who want to support Ken Simon are signing a petition here at Change.org. As of now there are 2,482 signatures, with a goal of 5,000.
Donna McDonald, who signed the petition and whose children were taught by Simon said to Fox 4 that, “Everyone who knows him knows how wonderful he is. If there were more teachers like him, it would be a better place,” she said. “We have to stand behind our teachers.”
The heads of the school can be contacted at the information below.
Steven Miller, Principal, (816) 892-1402
steven.miller@raypec.org
Kristina Martin, Associate Principal, (816) 892-1406
kristina.martin@raypec.org
Mark Cook, Assistant Principal, (816) 892-1407
mark.cook@raypec.org
Jerry Edson, Assistant Principal, (816) 892-1555
jerry.edson@raypec.org
Jeanne Kuhlman, Assistant Principal, (816) 892-1552
jeanne.kuhlman@raypec.org
“Boys Beware” PSA
