To: Jennifer Gray, Superintendent, President Donald Trump, and Governor Kay Ivey
Terminate Lauderdale County High School Head Football Coach Bob Grisham for Sexist, Derogatory co...
Discussing the female body in a high school classroom and using said female body as a discussion topic to denigrate, sexualize, harass, judge or cause discomfort is a form of discrimination and the offender should be fired, immediately. Our student population has the right to trust that they will walk into a nurturing learning environment, not one that casts them as second class citizens or worse, because of their gender. This is a teaching opportunity. We can teach our student population that sexual harassment and gender discrimination will not be tolerated on any level, by any person, in an Alabama school.
Why is this important?
Grisham: Like those lunches - you get 600-calorie lunches - you know who's behind that?
Different voice: Michelle Obama
Grisham: Fat butt Michelle Obama
Grisham: And look … look at her. She looks like she weighs 185 or 190. She's overweight.
Different voice: Big fat gorilla
(laughter)
Grisham: I'm serious. Y'all, our country is, is, is going in the wrong direction."
When a classroom instructor and especially a high school football coach uses his authority and power to denigrate the physique of one gender, he teaches the students that they are allowed to do the same and it will be met with laughter and approval. Not only is this wrong, it is discriminatory and against the law. Clearly, his classroom already understands that racist remarks are acceptable. We must put an end to gender discrimination, sexism and racism in Alabama classrooms, NOW.
Different voice: Michelle Obama
Grisham: Fat butt Michelle Obama
Grisham: And look … look at her. She looks like she weighs 185 or 190. She's overweight.
Different voice: Big fat gorilla
(laughter)
Grisham: I'm serious. Y'all, our country is, is, is going in the wrong direction."
When a classroom instructor and especially a high school football coach uses his authority and power to denigrate the physique of one gender, he teaches the students that they are allowed to do the same and it will be met with laughter and approval. Not only is this wrong, it is discriminatory and against the law. Clearly, his classroom already understands that racist remarks are acceptable. We must put an end to gender discrimination, sexism and racism in Alabama classrooms, NOW.