Students Outraged Over 'Forced' Resignation of Theater Teacher

According to Bangor Daily News, former Kennebunk High School theater director Michael Herman recently resigned after creating two fake Facebook profiles in order to gain access to Facebook groups "KBK Moms" and "Not Quite KBK Moms" where he says members were criticizing his program.

However, students spoke against the school board for the way they handled the situation and against the adults in the groups who created this problem.

Two dozen students showed up to the Regional School Unit 21 board meeting this week to address the issues they had seen.

"They're not educators or administrators," parent Laurie Rupe said of the group of parents involved in the Facebook groups. "I don't want any parents in this RSU forcing decisions that affect my children."

Senior Evie Rupe, who has been involved in theater for four years, spoke her mind as well.

"As children we are taught to not say anything unless you have something nice to say, and that social media can give you the power to say things to people that you would not say to their face," Evie Rupe said. "However the adults who taught us these things cannot follow their own convictions. In Kennebunk, social media has become a place where it's OK to talk behind people's backs and if you're misinformed it's also okay to voice your opinions, especially loudly. There is certainly irony at work when teens say parents are acting immaturely."

The school plans to continue its production of As You Like It, with Herman's wife Rachel Yoder directing.

The school's theater program is still on track but for the next four months of this school year, there will be no replacement for Herman. The school is uncertain if it will have one more play in the spring as it usually does.

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