A Kansas state Representative is facing charges of misdemeanor battery after he was caught on tape throwing a homophobic temper tantrum in a classroom that ended with him turning violent against a male student.
Multiple videos obtained by the Kansas City Star showed state Rep. Mark Samsel making homophobic remarks at the class during a rant about suicide, masturbation, God, and “making babies” while he was working as a substitute teacher at a secondary school last week.
Kansas City Star reports:
In one video shared with The Star, Samsel tells students about “a sophomore who’s tried killing himself three times,” adding that it was because “he has two parents and they’re both females.”
“He’s a foster kid. His alternatives in life were having no parents or foster care parents who are gay,” Samsel tells students. “How do you think I’m going to feel if he commits suicide? Awful.”
In another video, Samsel is recorded telling students, “make babies. Who likes making babies? That feels good, doesn’t it? Procreate … You haven’t masturbated? Don’t answer that question. … God already knows.”
But it was 36-year-old Samsel’s treatment of one male student in particular that was most unnerving. Multiple videos show him chasing the kid around the classroom before aggressively grabbing him from behind.
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“You’re about ready to anger me and get the wrath of God!” he shouts. “Do you believe me when I tell you that God has been speaking to me?”
Then he pushes the kid away. As the student runs for safety, Samsel shouts, “You should run and scream!” Later, he tells the other students, “Class, you have permission to kick him in the balls.”
Parents of students in the room also allege that Samsel kneed the kid in the groin shortly before directing others to do the same. Another video allegedly shows him hovering over the kid moments after assaulting him. “Did it hurt?” he asks.
Then he asks the kid why he’s crying and directs another student to “check his nuts for him” before telling the kid to “go to the nurse, she can check it for you.”
In response to the videos, superintendent Ryan Bradley said Samsel is barred from working for the school district. Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas responded by saying Samsel “shouldn’t just be terminated from substituting. He should be blocked from being around kids.”
What the hell is going on with the #KSLeg this session? He shouldn’t just be terminated from substituting. He should be blocked from being around all kids. https://t.co/WkWTBanx8h
— Mayor Q (@QuintonLucasKC) April 30, 2021
And here’s where the story gets even crazier. Because according to Samsel, the whole thing was a stunt that was “all planned.”
“Every little bit of it. That’s right,” he said in a Snapchat post. “The kids and I planned all of this to send a message about art, mental health, teenage suicide, how we treat our educators and one another. To who? Parents. And grandparents. And all of Wellsville.”
He added that the incident was “exactly what God planned. The kids were in on it. Not all of them. But most.”
He repeated the claims in an interview with a local news outlet.
Samsel was first elected to the Kansas House of Representatives in 2018. Prior to last week’s incident, he was best known for voting against ending an exemption for spouses from the state’s sexual battery law.
In true GOP fashion, none of his Republican colleagues have commented on the incident or said whether Samsel will be censured, expelled, or face any kind of punishment in the legislature.
Graham Gremore is the Features Editor and a Staff Writer at Queerty. Follow him on Twitter @grahamgremore.
mastik8
Come what may, he should definitely switch to decaf.
Chrisk
I’m glad they won’t let him near those kids again. Listening to him is scary though. He’s truly insane. I’m sure to his fellow nutcases he’s perfectly fine though.
Mister P
He needs Christian reparative therapy.
Cam
How is it only misdemeanor battery when that kid was trapped in his class, he’s in a position of authority and he places hands on the kid, knees him in the groin and then tries to use his authority to demand his students attack the child, all while talking about masturbation feeling good to the rest of the class?
DennisMpls
Cam, I think the answer to that depends on the degree to which his interactions with that specific kid were planned. If the kid was one of those “in on it” then that part of the story significantly changes. If he wasn’t in on it, then he and the school are wide open to criminal charges and lawsuits. Nonetheless, no matter how much was planned or how many kids were in on it, this is one of the most bizarre education stories I’ve ever heard. I hope more comes out on it. Do the kids say they were indeed part of the “preplanned” activity? If so, why??? Were parents involved? Either way we’re well into the “Twilight Zone” here.
jsmu
THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Cam
@DennisMpls
There is no proof that anything was planned. If some of the kids come forward that might change it, but so far nothing about that has been said.
Fahd
He did something wrong. He should be prosecuted and barred from working with children.
Some people might allege that he’s a drug user. Topeka used to be the home of the famous psychiatric institute, the Menninger Clinic. If it’s still there, I recommend he go there for an eval.
radiooutmike
I went to Catholic school for grades 1 thru 12.
I don’t think I ever saw anyone rant about God like that.
Jbaltes
Ah, yes…the party of “family values” showcases yet another piece of shit. Hypocrisy at its finest!
rand503
He should ask Matt Gaetz for a date.
ScottOnEarth
Further proof that, in all seriousness, a huge majority of GOP officials and followers are truly mentally ill. This guy’s behavior is maniacal and just crazy….and blabbering on about speaking to God. When did the U.S. become such a mess?
BoomerMyles
A bunch of concerned parents should have a nice chat with him and a tire iron.
toddlicious
Just another gop closet case, self loathing, power tripping, homophobe.
tjack47
His behavior is very manic with psychotic features. I have bipolar disorder, so it is so like that. I’m never violent. I can be verbally abusive in an episode. He sounds as though his delusions are based on politics and hyper religiosity. No, he shouldn’t be around kids. Of course, it could be drugs, because many mentally ill people self-medicate. That makes it worse, of course.
Inspector 57
Okie-dokey, then. Yeah, let’s give this piece of shit the benefit of the doubt: It was all staged. In which case he’s STILL guilty of:
1) Using his position of authority to coerce kids into participating in an outrageously offensive “play.”
2) Absolutely traumatizing the students who weren’t in on the joke.
3) Kneeing an adolescent in the testicles.
Suspension from teaching there is NOT enough of a reaction. There should be law enforcement involvement, about 30 different lawsuits, and at least one Republican growing a pair and denouncing this deranged man’s behavior.
twomen4u
This man is a joke and should never be around kids even his own. With the filthy Rep in power probably nothing will be done. He should be kicked out of the legislature and barred from running for any office even dog catcher.
Being a retired child abuse investigator, I don’t care about how old he is, he is displaying classic signs of child sexual abuse. If someone was able to look into his past they might find a dad, uncle, brother or cousin or all four of them have abused him sexually, all of the signs are there.
Me think he protested too much.
stanhope
Hang that bastard by the balls
Prowelsh56
So if this was shown on the TV news channels in Kansas, I wonder how many of the good people of the State of Kansas actually were horrified viz a viz those who thought this is OK? Met too many folks from out that way to know many will just shrug their shoulders. Oh! well! Kansas not my vacation spot ever! Guy should have been arrested on the spot!
Kangol2
He’s nuttier than an almond cake, which if course is fitting since he’s a Republican, and obsessed with gay sex and gay people. He should be as far away as possible from classrooms and children, and probably should be in court, being tried, for whatever crimes categorize assaulting a child and traumatizing children, convicted, and then given extensive psychological treatment. He’s clearly a sick, delusional right-wing freak.
BTW, where are all the pro-Republican, pro-Don the Con gays who’re always defending the GOP on here?
jsmu
WILDLY homophobic CLOSET CASE with major bipolar SH*T!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
cuteguy
Why isn’t this moron in jail for assault on a minor? Was this a catholic school where it’s ok for creepy older men are allowed to abuse minors? Oh wait, it’s the GQP, same difference. Notice how this story isn’t on Fox News. If it was a Democrat rep, it would be on that fake news network non stop.
arnieca
1. Favors cruelty over empathy? Check
2. Uses position of authority to justify verbal & physical abuse? Check
3. Defendant in criminal activity? Check.
Ladies & Gentlemen, we proudly present the next Republican Candidate for President Mark Samsel!
storm45701
That’s a beard of a wife if I ever saw one. Girl, run.
Sanjo
That may not be his wife. It’s more likely his sister or his psychiatric nurse.
Celtic
Each day after waking up, I discover how the United States has gotten worse than the day before. This maniac should undergo a full frontal lobotomy. Period. Society does NOT need the likes of him.
GayEGO
What a terrible thing to teach students! Schools should teach relationships, not the private stuff. I was with my husband for 57 years, married 15 years and it was the relationship with love that kept us together!