An Assistant Principal at a West Virginia high school was suspended with pay after following a transgender boy into the bathroom and telling him “you freak me out.”
According to a complaint filed by the American Civil Liberties Union, 15-year-old Michael Critchfield, who identifies as transgender, stopped off to use the boys bathroom on November 27 at Liberty High in Clarksville, West Virginia.
There he encountered Assistant Principal Lee Livengood, who began to harass him. Livengood allegedly followed Critchfield into the bathroom where Critchfield used a stall.
Livengood then began to taunt him about using the wrong gender bathroom, telling him if he was a boy, he should use a urinal.
How about we take this to the next level?
Our newsletter is like a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
Livengood blocked the exit to the bathroom and asked Critchfield what would happen if he saw another boy checking him out in the bathroom, capping off the incident by telling the student “I’m not going to lie. You freak me out.”
Related: BREAKING: Supreme Court To Hear Case Of Transgender Student Gavin Grimm
Despite requests by Michael and his parents, Liberty High faculty have refused to acknowledge his transgender status.
Administrators have refused to call him by his chosen name, refused to use it in public announcements and told him he cannot use the boys’ bathroom.
These refusals on the part of the faculty, along with the incident involving Livengood, prompted the Cirtchfield family to file the complaint.
Administrators suspended Livengood on Tuesday for the remainder of the fall semester–just four days. He will also receive full pay and benefits during that time.
The ACLU and Critchfield family have criticized district officials for not handling the incident with due severity.
Following Livengood’s suspension Tuesday night, District Superintendent Dr. Mark Manchin addressed the situation with the West Virginia Metro News.
“I don’t think more needs to be done,” Manchin said. “This does not reflect on our employees of Harrison County who are incredibly understanding and receptive to all types of students,” he continued. “You know, with 11,000 students, there are a myriad of issues that these students face, not only obviously this but a number of different things, and we recognize the differences and we embrace those differences.”
Manchin then added: “Ten, 15, 20 years ago, obviously there were transgender students but we didn’t have to address it. Now we do. We recognize that. We’re evolving, and if we need to go further we will. But right now I do not believe the necessity of any additional policies or any protections for any students that we do not already have.”
MarathonBoy
What does this story have to do with gay people?
PinkoOfTheGange
It is all in the “T” honey.
Juanjo
What does you being a complete douche bag have to do with life in general, Marathon Biotch?
GetOffMyInternets
@MarathonBoy Remember who fought at Stonewall ya phucktard. It sure as hell wasnt the men in the Mattechine Society, who were probably too busy that night dressed in suits and announcing they were gay at straight bars and demanding a response. Wow. Guess the trans women in various stages of transition and hormones along with drag queens had enough that night. You’re such a feckless c*nt. You owe your rights to those humans, you prick!
rbernard
Assistant Principal Lee Livengood needs a lot of counseling.
The kid was trying to go the bathroom discretely in a stall, has enough on his mind, wasn’t bothering anyone, except this jerk with hang-ups.
barkomatic
I’m glad the guy was suspended, even if it were just 4 days but this action was probably just half hearted to get the controversy behind them and the spotlight off the school. A more thorough approach would be sensitivity training not just for Livengood but for all teachers and staff because I’m sure he’s not the only mean spirited bigot on staff at that school.
It would be better if people just naturally treated each other with respect and kindness, but lacking that bigots and religious nuts need to learn to suppress their inclination to attack.
spacecadet
I agree with your ideas and sentiments but that “punishment” was laughable. Basically, that guy got a few days off from having to work and still got paid for it. And where is the public apology to Michael? He should sue the school and the asst. principal for damages.
PinkoOfTheGange
The suspension will be brought up for the next half dozen performance reviews and every job interview. Sadly for the kids he is “well placed” for the next decade, unless he runs into a superintendent that doesn’t even care about appearances.
jsmu
What piles of steaming mandrill dung Livengood and his bosses are.