Box Elder principal suspended for two days for profanity

Box Elder principal and basketball head coach Jeremy MacDonald was put on administrative leave for using foul language toward a student, this following a self-imposed suspension from Saturday's boys basketball District 9C title game.

Due to the suspension, MacDonald was not available for comment at the school.

Box Elder Superintendent Tom Peck said he put MacDonald on administrative leave Monday and today for an angry outburst toward a 14-year-old student.

Peck said the 14-year-old was “screwing around with a belt” and hit another student with it. Whether he meant to hit the other student with the belt depends on who is asked, Peck said. The 14-year-old maintains, Peck said, that he didn't intend to hit the girl with the belt.

MacDonald became angry at the student for hitting a classmate and berated him, using a vulgar word while doing so.

The 14-year-old “barked back,” Peck said, adding that the student responded with a few words of his own, which prolonged MacDonald's scolding.

The 14-year-old's stepfather, Melvin Morsette Jr., who is pursuing legal action, said MacDonald “verbally assaulted” his stepson. Morsette said his stepson is hurt and feels shunned.

What made it worse, Morsette added, was that MacDonald “just kept going on.” Morsette acknowledged that “kids aren't perfect,” but MacDonald's response was unbecoming of an educator, he said.

The 14-year-old was suspended for three days for the belt incident. The student came back Thursday, but was sick Friday and did not go to school Monday. Morsette said his stepson does not look forward to going to school because of what happened.

The 14-year-old and MacDonald have apologized to each other, but Morsette said MacDonald had not apologized to him and the child’s mother — he wished he would have. Morsette said it took MacDonald a week to apologize and suspend himself, adding that the commotion caused by Morsette’s outburst was the main reason for the apology. Morsette said MacDonald's administrative suspension “made me happy,” but he thinks a suspension for the remainder of the basketball season would be more fitting.

Morsette said he and his fiance are looking for a lawyer to sue the school district for MacDonald's actions and the emotional damage the student had incurred. The couple already spoke to one lawyer, who has walked away from the case. They will be talking to another shortly, he said.

Peck, on the other hand, said MacDonald's self-imposed suspension was one of the most “honorable, professional things” he has seen an educator do.

Peck said the school district has high expectations, and he was proud of MacDonald for owning up and imposing a consequence on himself. It showed integrity and a willingness to lead by example, he said.

As far as Morsette pursuing a lawsuit, Peck said he wasn't concerned. He said a lawyer taking the case would be unlikely, and even so, there's no fodder for legal action.

“We acted above and beyond our legal obligation,” Peck said.