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BROOKHAVEN, Miss. (AP) – The half-time portrayal of a police officer under the threat of a police officer fuels anger in a Mississippi town where two police officers were recently killed.
Images of the Forest Hill High School group's performance were distributed Saturday on social networks, showing students disguised as medical staff holding members of the SWAT team under threat of a weapon. The performance took place on Friday during a football game between Forest Hill and Brookhaven High School, just days after the death of two Brookhaven officers as they reacted to reports that beatings were taking place. fire would have been fired at a house.
The director of Jackson Public Schools, Mr. Errick L. Greene, apologized Saturday in a statement and acknowledged that the skit was "insensitive". Greene said the performance was loosely based on the movie "John Q" and that it represented a hostage scene including toy guns. In the film, a father portrayed by Denzel Washington takes hostage hospital staff and patients while he tries to force doctors to perform a vital transplant on his son, a procedure that his insurance will not cover. not.
"JPS has a lot of respect and appreciation for our law enforcement partners," Greene said. "The group's performance did not reflect the values and members of our community and was incredibly insensitive to students, families, law enforcement officials and the entire Brookhaven community. We sincerely apologize for that and we are committed to a better future. "
Brookhaven Mayor Joe Cox said he spoke to Jackson Mayor Chokwe Lumumba, who informed him that the director of the Forest Hill Band had been placed on administrative leave pending a investigation. He added that the mayor had personally apologized for the halftime show.
"I offer my sincerest regrets to the Brookhaven community for the insensitivity that was expressed at the half-time show on Friday night." An investigation is under way into the circumstances that led to this. performance, "Lumumba said in a statement Saturday. He added: "It is the responsibility of adults to offer advice to young people.Our students should have been informed that this was neither the time nor the place for this performance."
Brookhaven is about 88 km south of Jackson, the state capital.
Governor Phil Bryant, in a post on Twitter, said that someone should be held responsible.
"It's unacceptable in a civilized society," he said.
The Mississippi Ministry of Education issued a statement Saturday stating, "This show was tasteless and unresponsive, and we expect more of our responsible teachers and principals to guide students appropriately. "said Jackson's Clarion Ledger.
Republican Senator Sally Doty of Brookhaven wrote Saturday on Facebook that she would file a complaint with the Jackson Public Schools, Forest Hill High School and the Mississippi High School Activities Association.
"How can an administrator think that a half-time show is appropriate?" Doty wrote.
Another Republican Senator, Angela Hill of Picayune, wrote in response to Doty's message: "Do not make sense, keep it in. Cultural War."
Many people, in comments on Facebook, said they were shocked and outraged by the show.
Jackson City Councilor Melvin Priester Jr. said he spoke with the school board about the situation.
"Why would ALL high school bandwomen need fake guns?" he asked in a post on Facebook. "Have they run this routine all year long? … If everything goes as planned, however, I will be disappointed, offended and I will apologize to the people of Brookhaven and the children of Forest Hill who deserved better. adults around them. "
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