{"id":63408,"date":"2022-03-15T21:49:14","date_gmt":"2022-03-15T21:49:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.care.com\/c\/?p=63408"},"modified":"2022-03-15T21:49:14","modified_gmt":"2022-03-15T21:49:14","slug":"assistant-principal-fired-for-reading-i-need-a-new-butt-to-second-graders","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.care.com\/c\/assistant-principal-fired-for-reading-i-need-a-new-butt-to-second-graders\/","title":{"rendered":"Assistant principal fired for reading &#8216;I Need A New Butt&#8217; to 2nd graders"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>A Mississippi educator is receiving a tidal wave of support after losing his job for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/video\/mississippi-assistant-principal-fired-after-reading-children-s-book-i-need-a-new-butt-to-second-graders-135045189977\">reading students a silly book<\/a> that many families have on their shelves at home. <\/p><p>Former Gary Road Elementary School Assistant Principal Toby Price tells <a href=\"https:\/\/www.usatoday.com\/story\/news\/education\/2022\/03\/14\/assistant-principal-fired-reading-i-need-new-butt\/7033123001\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">USA Today<\/a> he was asked to step in and read a book to second graders over Zoom when a scheduled guest reader failed to show up earlier this month. He chose &ldquo;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.target.com\/p\/i-need-a-new-butt-by-dawn-mcmillan-paperback\/-\/A-54368928\">I Need a New Butt<\/a>&rdquo; by Dawn McMillan, a funny book about a little boy who becomes convinced he needs a new butt after he discovers that his has a crack. <\/p><p>Just minutes after reading the book, Price was placed on administrative leave. Two days later, he was fired. A copy of his termination letter posted on <a href=\"https:\/\/pen.org\/take-action\/open-letters\/sign-now-hinds-county-schools-reading-is-not-a-crime\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">PEN America<\/a>, a nonprofit organization that advocates for freedom of expression, states that Price&rsquo;s book choice contained &ldquo;inappropriate words&rdquo; and his decision to read the book &ldquo;showed a lack of professionalism and impaired judgment.&rdquo;<\/p><figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\"><blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Are you there <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Oprah?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@Oprah<\/a> ? It&rsquo;s me Toby. Lost my job yesterday bc I read a book to kids. I&rsquo;m scared, nervous, embarrassed and sad. I have faith that all will be well. Thanks for listening. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/a1Pgci2Kil\">pic.twitter.com\/a1Pgci2Kil<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Toby Price (@jedipadmaster) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/jedipadmaster\/status\/1499778644717322245?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">March 4, 2022<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/div><\/figure><p>Price&rsquo;s story went viral after he shared the news online and created a GoFundMe to cover expenses for his three children, two of whom have autism. &ldquo;Was recently fired for reading &lsquo;I Need a New Butt&rsquo; to students,&rdquo; Price writes on his fundraising page. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s a funny silly book. A book that kids love. I am just looking for some help to pay bills while I look for another job.&rdquo;<\/p><p>&ldquo;I Need a New Butt&rdquo; is an extremely popular children&rsquo;s book, with more than 17,000 reviews on Amazon. Additionally, the book&rsquo;s publisher, <a href=\"https:\/\/store.doverpublications.com\/0486787990.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Dover Publications<\/a>, suggests the book for kids ages 6-10, an age range that includes the second grade students Price read to. As news of Price&rsquo;s firing went viral, many expressed shock and outrage at the school&rsquo;s decision to terminate him for reading an age-appropriate book that many families already enjoy.<\/p><p>&ldquo;Absolutely maddening that an assistant principal was fired for reading a book that is engaging and hilarious,&rdquo; one parent and teacher writes on Twitter. &ldquo;My son loves this book, and I&rsquo;ve read it to kids who I work with who struggle in reading. These are the kind of books that help to get kids to fall in love with reading.&rdquo;<\/p><figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\"><blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Absolutely maddening that an assistant principle was fired for reading a book that is engaging and hilarious. My son LOVES this book and I&rsquo;ve read it to kids who I work with who struggle in reading. These are the kind of books that help to get kids to fall in love with reading.<\/p>&mdash; Tonya Moore (@Teach_TMoore) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Teach_TMoore\/status\/1501241079185747973?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">March 8, 2022<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/div><\/figure><p>Others say the firing is an example of censorship in schools. Over the past several months, school administrators and elected officials in a number of states have made efforts to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2022\/01\/30\/books\/book-ban-us-schools.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">ban books and certain curriculum<\/a> that discuss gender, race, sexuality and other topics. &ldquo;For those folks who downplay how the current wave of education censorship legislation is going to terrorize and paralyze educators: here&rsquo;s a not very-funny kick in the butt,&rdquo; a writer and former educator adds.<\/p><figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">https:\/\/twitter.com\/lutzfernandez\/status\/1502005607406227463?s=20&amp;t=OHrj8YCPfuMKjDVJsIGv5w<\/div><\/figure><p>Some are simply appalled that a veteran educator was let go over something so trivial when many <a href=\"https:\/\/www.care.com\/c\/schools-struggle-to-stay-open-omicron-covid-surge\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">schools are struggling<\/a> to keep classrooms staffed. &ldquo;During the worst teacher shortage in our lifetime, one of our own, an amazing admin &amp; special needs parent, was fired for reading a top-selling, beloved children&rsquo;s book that says the word &lsquo;butt,'&rdquo; one person writes.<\/p><figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\"><blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">During the WORST educator shortage in our lifetime.. one of our own, an amazing admin &amp; special needs parent, was FIRED for reading a top-selling, beloved children's book that says the word 'butt.' <br><br>Help him as he'd help us. RT.<a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/ROtIhIkUBc\">https:\/\/t.co\/ROtIhIkUBc<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/amazonbooks?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@amazonbooks<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/doverpubs?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@doverpubs<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Brittany Gonzalez, M.Ed.&#129782;&#127995; (@NeuroGroovy) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/NeuroGroovy\/status\/1500521972756848645?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">March 6, 2022<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/div><\/figure><p>Not everyone disagrees with the decision to fire Price. To some, the book&rsquo;s use of the word &ldquo;butt&rdquo; and illustrations that show a cartoonish character flashing his bottom seem inappropriate. &ldquo;It starts cute and goes no where leaning on perverse,&rdquo; a defender of the termination writes. &ldquo;Would you suggest this be read to your young child? Honestly?&rdquo;<\/p><figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\"><blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Without warning?? Right , it starts cute and goes nowhere educational leaning on perverse. IMO. Would you suggest this to be read to your young child?? Honestly?<\/p>&mdash; Brian Strong (@bstrong3333) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/bstrong3333\/status\/1501393235524079618?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">March 9, 2022<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/div><\/figure><p>Despite the occasional pushback, Price seems to have widespread support. His GoFundMe has been fully funded, and in recent updates to the fundraiser, Price says he is using a portion of the funds to pay for the cost of an attorney to fight to get his job back. <\/p><p>&ldquo;We have been so blessed and overwhelmed by your kindness,&rdquo; he adds. &ldquo;Thank you. Keep reading kids silly books.&rdquo;<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Parents and educators are speaking out after a Mississippi principal lost his job after sharing a popular children&#8217;s book.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1264,"featured_media":63466,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"enable_toc":false,"care_reviewed_by":0,"care_post_updated_flag":false,"care_updated_date":"","last_update":"2022-03-15","view_count":2113,"footnotes":"","_members_access_role":[],"_members_access_error":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"member-type":[3],"vertical":[6,11],"platform":[2],"class_list":["post-63408","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","member-type-seeker","vertical-children","vertical-news-trends","platform-resources"],"acf":[],"created":null,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.care.com\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/63408","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.care.com\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.care.com\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.care.com\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1264"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.care.com\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=63408"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.care.com\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/63408\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":63475,"href":"https:\/\/www.care.com\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/63408\/revisions\/63475"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.care.com\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/63466"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.care.com\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=63408"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.care.com\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=63408"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.care.com\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=63408"},{"taxonomy":"member-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.care.com\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/member-type?post=63408"},{"taxonomy":"vertical","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.care.com\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/vertical?post=63408"},{"taxonomy":"platform","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.care.com\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/platform?post=63408"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}