The scandal surrounding a controversial “twerking” video that led to the suspensions of more than 30 Scripps Ranch High School students just will not go away.
NBC 7: Students Suspended Over Twerking Video
The San Diego Unified school board met Tuesday in closed session. Parents of Scripps Ranch High School students were waiting to speak at an open session scheduled this afternoon.
NBC 7 San Diego has obtained a letter addressed to San Diego Unified School Trustee Kevin Beiser and the school board from the counselors and counseling staff at SRHS demanding that Beiser retract his recent criticism over how administrators handled the punishment.
“When you voiced your opinion against the school the parents and students felt vindicated, further encouraging them to continue the fight, which has now gained negative global attention,” the memo states.
The link to the controversial video has gone viral with websites all over the world covering the April 30 suspensions for the 31 students involved.
The memo was sent from the email account of Jane Morrill according to Beiser.
Morrill is listed on the Scripps Ranch HS website as Head Counselor for A - Br and Field Hockey Coach. Her bio states she has been a school counselor for 21 years.
The memo goes on to describe the staff as having compromised and damaged reputations and says if the board rescinds the punishment handed to the students involved, students will get the message that they don’t have to follow rules.
To add fuel to the fire, the statement on school letterhead describes the moves on the video clip as “p-ssy poppin” and includes the Urban Dictionary definition of the phrase.
The author maintains administrators followed proper procedure under district policy and feel their actions will teach those responsible a lesson as well as their classmates.
Beiser believes the memo was the act of one person on the staff. He said the local newspaper report that quoted him as saying the girls involved were just moving their hips didn't include the reasons he found the video appalling.
He also pointed out that he has been supportive of the school in the past.
Scripps Ranch High School suspended 31 students for two school days. Their ages ranged from freshmen to seniors.
Because of the school’s special rules regarding senior activities, some of those suspended were also banned from attending prom or walking at graduation.
On Monday night the San Diego Unified School District said they cannot overturn the suspensions, because they said it is not their purview. District officials said California code makes it so that only the principal can overturn the decision.