‘A True Fish Tale:' OKC Cooper Middle School’s Fishy Mystery Stumps School Leaders

Most people have a story few people would believe. The principal of a metro middle school had a student report something he couldn’t explain. His school’s mystery casts a wide net of possibilities. 

In the depths of the walls at Cooper Middle School, there is a principal whose passion for teaching flows deep within his heart. “Education’s the game yeah,” said Jason Burkhart. “It’s a fun group.” 

Burkhart is a leader who can count on his students to report suspicious activity. “They like to report things because they’re seventh graders,” Burkhart said. “That’s kind of what happened [Thursday].” 

A student brought Burkhart something that lured him in. “I said, ‘Where you get that?’” Burkhart said. 

On Thursday security cameras caught something Burkhart didn’t expect his eyes to catch this. “My principal mind goes to, ‘Okay, who just vandalized our recess area?’” Burkhart said. “I started out as a drama teacher but I’m not making this story up.” 

Step outside and Burkhart could only wonder why so many fish sat on the ground. “They’re everywhere,” Burkhart said. “I don’t know. I can’t explain it. And they were on the roof.” 

Burkhart said it may be just a prank. Nonetheless, it’s a fishy story. “Weather in Oklahoma is crazy,” Burkhart said. 

Oklahoma’s weather expert David Payne said weather can produce some bizarre things. “That’s a good one,” Payne said. “Waterspouts; they travel over a stream or a pond or the ocean they will pick up frogs and snakes.” 

This incident happened Thursday afternoon with little weather. Payne said the likely suspects are birds. “For some reason, they just decided to throw up,” Payne said. 

The jury’s still out on Mother Nature’s decision to drop a school of fish off at Cooper Middle School. “Quite the fish story,” Burkhart said. “Definitely newsworthy. A true fish tale.”