Western Heights Principal The Center Of Controversy

The Western Heights school district is back in the spotlight, this time after a new principal’s past is brought into the public eye.

Two months after Dr. Shane Murnan was hired as principal for John Glenn Elementary, posts about his past started appearing on social media.

Many parents were concerned about alleged child pornography charges. Pictures of his work as a drag queen were also circulated.

“I 100 percent see where other parents are coming from,” said Western Heights parent Amy Boone.

Boone says she doesn’t care if Murnan does drag.

“As long as he’s not bringing that to school. What he wants to do on his own time doesn’t matter to me at all,” said Boone.

But State Superintendent Ryan Walters is calling for the district to take action.

“A drag queen running an Oklahoma school is not in line with Oklahoma values,” Walters said.

Murnan went through a background check from the district and the state, and his teaching certificate was renewed by Walters in April.

“Don’t put it all on the district,” Boone said. “If the state renews his certificate, that tells the school it’s okay to hire this person.”

News 9 reached out to the school and Principal Murnan and were sent a letter from Western Heights Superintendent Brayden Savage.

In the letter, he acknowledged the alleged child pornography charges and said they are handling the situation. He emphasized that safety is their number one priority.

Court documents show that two charges were filed in Payne County in August of 2001 against Murnan; the case was closed in October of 2002.

Documents say the court requested “the matter be dismissed - and the record expunged…”

“You have to think about those things when you’re making decisions that effect other peoples’ kids,” said Boone.

Boone says circumstances aside, she doesn’t agree with the board’s decision to hire Murnan. She says local board members should have considered how this hire would look.

“We’re still on probation for things that happened a few years ago, now we have Ryan Walters looking at our district,” Boone said.

Parents and community members, on both sides of the issue, are planning to be at next Monday’s Western Heights school board meeting to discuss Murnan.