School administrators told a group of elementary school children in Texas to drop their pants to check for fecal matter. The rather unorthodox incident took place after teachers discovered feces on the floor of the school gym. Those charged with overseeing the children claim they were simply trying to determine who had created the mess.
According to the Associated Press, the checks were performed by administrators in the Gustine Unified School District on Monday. The boys and girls were divided into two different groups, taken into separate rooms, and then searched for traces of human excrement.
While some parents raised their objections to the (brown) spot check during a board meeting, accusing the school of going too far, other parents said they were just trying to do the best they could, given the difficult circumstances.
Members of the Gustine school board postponed a formal hearing on the matter, electing, instead, to listen to the complaints raised by the school children’s parents on Thursday night.
According to WFAA-TV, one parent, Michele Limmer, offered the following opinion: “Was it wrong? Probably so. Should they be forgiven. Yes. Should they be hung by the rafters? No.”
Two of the school’s administrators, who were involved in conducting the search, are now on leave. During the meeting, officials confirmed that both the Gustine Independent School District principal and the Gustine High School girls basketball coach were the two administrators involved.
Speaking to the media, Gustine ISD Superintendent Ken Baugh said he thought the actions of the school administrators was inappropriate. However, he went on to explain that the children’s pants were only lowered “a little.”
