Ohio mayor calls for resignation of entire Board of Education over controversial writing assignments
The mayor of Hudson, Ohio is calling for the resignation of some Hudson High School teachers — as well as the entire Board of Education — after students received a book of controversial writing prompts.
“It has come to my attention that your educators are distributing essentially what is child pornography in the classroom,” Mayor Craig Shubert said Monday during the school board meeting.
“I’ve spoken to a judge this evening and she’s already confirmed that. So I’m going to give you a simple choice: either choose to resign from this board of education or you will be charged,” Shubert added, according to Cleveland.com.
The mayor’s angry reaction came after students in the school’s Liberal Arts II writing class received “642 Things to Write About,” a writing prompt journal designed to “get the creative juices flowing,” according to a description by the publisher.
The collection of “witty writing prompts” includes crafting a person’s own obituary, writing an ode to an onion, and describing the taste of beer.
Some of the most controversial prompts include writing a scene that begins with “It was the first time I killed a man,” penning a sex scene “you wouldn’t show your mom,” and describing “a time when you wanted to orgasm but couldn’t.”
Shubert hasn’t specified what possible charges BoE members could face if they choose not to resign.
But David Zuro, the board’s president, said that no member has indicated any intention to step down.
“While we respect the Mayor’s position within the City of Hudson, in accordance with the State laws of Ohio, the supervision of the public schools of this District is the responsibility of the Board of Education,” Zuro said Wednesday in a statement, according to NBC News.
On Monday, Hudson High issued an apology to parents and said that the school is working to collect the prompt books.
