CALUMET, Oklahoma -
There has been an outpouring of
support for an elementary school principal accused of verbal and physical abuse
against students.
Earlier this week,
parents lashed out against Calumet Elementary school principal Tyler Snowden,
saying he was constant trouble. Friday, a room full of teachers, parents, and
administrators told a much different story.
Supporters of
Tyler Snowden wanted their chance to speak about a man they say has been one of
the best disciplinarians Calumet has ever had. In fact, more than 100 people
packed the school cafeteria including every elementary school teacher at
Calumet.
A small town has
been divided, after the aggressive abuse allegations. But now those accusations
have those who support the principal, and coach, furious.
"I'm not sure why
they're out to destroy him," said 4th grade teacher, Lindy
Renbarger.
"I've never had
one inkling of thinking he's abusing kids, or bullying kids, or against kids,"
said Calumet High School principal, Mike Higgins.
3/13/2013 Related Story: Physical, Verbal Abuse Alleged At Calumet Elementary Principal
"It hurts to think
that people in our community would think that teacher would have allowed
anybody to mistreat or abuse a child in our school," said Pre-K teacher, Brandi
Mendell.
Principal Mike
Higgins, and teachers Lindy Renbarger and Brandi Mendell spoke on behalf of
the room full of supporters defending what some parents called 'unnecessary
verbal and physical abuse against their children'.
"We're not here to
abuse those kids in any way, verbally, physically," said Higgins. "We're here
to correct the path that they're taking and hopefully get them going the right
way where they can be successful."
Wednesday night,
parents said one of their biggest concerns was Snowden's prior conviction of
assault and battery against a minor in 2006.
"We knew about it. It was really not an issue. We know it was 10 years ago," said Mendell. "He's
done things to correct that, people change."
"Although he was
convicted, there was a whole other side to that story," said Renbarger.
"Right, he was
attacked from behind," said Mendell.
Snowden is also a
coach at the school, and is still being praised for leading the girls
basketball team to a state championship in 2011 for the first time in the
school's history. Snowden has been coaching at Calumet for five years, and was
promoted to principal in 2005.
Earlier this week, parents lashed out against Calumet Elementary school principal Tyler Snowden, saying he was constant trouble. Friday, a room full of teachers, parents, and administrators told a much different story.
