HHS principal resigns after costume controversy

Havre High School Principal Ed Norman has resigned in the wake of a controversy over the school's handling of an incident in October where a student entered the school in Halloween costume that featured black body makeup and was not sent home or confronted about it until well into the school day, according to some reports, and after numerous complaints from students and their parents.

Norman sent a statement to the Havre Daily News this morning saying he submitted his letter of resignation Dec. 2, tendered pursuant to a severance agreement Havre Public Schools Superintendent Mueller proposed.

He said he decided not to return as principal because his leadership ability has been "severely undermined."

He also contradicted accounts of what happened on the day of the incident, saying that Assistant Principal Kevin Nettleton took care of the situation before class began and he was not told about it until the end of the day.

Parents of students who witnessed the costume have indicated that the student was not confronted until well into the school day, but the exact timeline of that day is still not entirely clear.

Norman also criticized the intervention of Mueller, saying, "The superintendent's response to what could have/should have been a building-level issue has done a great disservice to the district."

Norman had been on paid administrative leave since early November after the controversy arose.

The school's response to the incident, the response that lead to Norman's resignation, has been criticized by a number of parents of Havre High students who say the fact that the student went unconfronted for so long, over a costume that was clearly and extremely racially insensitive, shows that the school needs to do a better job of educating its staff about why things like this are unacceptable.

Blackface, the practice of a white person darkening their skin to portray a Black person is universally considered to be offensive by African-Americans.

The practice has its roots in early 19th century minstrelsy, where white actors, on stage or in film, would depict people of color with exaggerated facial features to entertain white audiences, mocking people of color by depicting them as buffoonish, uneducated and objects of ridicule, and it contributed to a culture of racism that propped up Jim Crow.

Parents also criticized the school for the way it treated their children who complained, pulling many out of class the next day to give them generic forms used to report harassment and bullying without seriously addressing their concerns as it was happening, or in the immediate aftermath of the incident.

In an interview early last month, Shanetrice Allen, a parent of one such student, who has been representing a group of likeminded parents of affected high school students, said this lack of consideration for the seriousness of the incident, along with a lack of communication from the school, has made her child, and others like him, feel unheard and singled out.

Allen said she was told that the student who wore the costume was unaware of how hurtful to their classmates it was and had no intention of mocking Black people, but neither she nor her group are looking for disciplinary action for the student.

Instead, she said, they want the school to examine how it handled the incident and determine whether there is a need for training for staff about how to handle incidents like this, and raise awareness about how serious incidents like this are.

Mueller has said HPS is developing a plan to address concerns raised through the investigation of the incident as well as staff training.

In a statement Thursday afternoon announcing Norman's resignation Mueller said he met with the Havre High School staff to discuss leadership in the building, staff evaluations, and other processes related to the day-to-day activities that are a part of the principal's job.

"We will have an administrative committee covering duties at the high school until we can further address this issue in the coming weeks," his announcement said. "I appreciate the flexibility demonstrated by the high school staff during this transition period."

Norman thanked those in the community that have stood by him and apologized to the students for not being able to say goodbye properly.

"I appreciate the opportunity to have been a part of Blue Pony Nation," he said in this morning's statement. "Thank you to the many students, their families and faculty for the outpouring of support over the past month. Your kindness and encouragement will never be forgotten.

"To the students of Havre High School, I am sorry that I did not get to do a proper goodbye," he added. "Best of luck to you in your future endeavors. Mr. Norman, out."