Principal Under Fire After Making Two Boys Hold Hands In Public - Spokane, North Idaho News & Weather KHQ.com

Principal Under Fire After Making Two Boys Hold Hands In Public After Fight

Posted: Updated:

MESA, AZ - A principal is under fire in Arizona, after his method of "punishment by humiliation" has left many upset.

Students named Julio and Charles of Westwood High School in Mesa, Arizona, were brought to Principal Tim Richards after a fist fight and presented with two choices. They could either be suspended — or they could hold hands for an hour in front of fellow students.

The high school duo conferred and decided to hold hands, as students laughed at them and uploaded pictures to social media sites while they sat in chairs outside with their faces covered.

Now, Richards has been criticized by the Mesa School District, which released a statement criticizing his actions:

"The district does not condone the choice of in-school discipline given these students, regardless of their acceptance or willingness to participate," the statement said. "District leadership will address this matter with the school principal, and review district protocol regarding student discipline with all administrators."

Many took to Twitter to criticize Richards, saying he was encouraging bullying and homophobia by insinuating being gay and holding hands is an embarrassment.

This article was written by Adrian Carrasquillo, and originally appeared on NBCLatino

  • Most Popular StoriesMost Popular Stories

  • Tuesday, May 21 2013 1:43 PM EDT2013-05-21 17:43:51 GMT
    BREAKING NEWS - The Medical Examiner's Office has revised the death toll in the Moore, Oklahoma tornado from 91 people to at least 24 people.
    UPDATE: Originally the death toll was reported to be 91 people and counting, however, the Medical examiner's office revised the death toll from the Oklahoma tornado to at least 24 people. A spokeswoman said Tuesday morning that she believes some victims were counted twice in the early chaos of the storm.

  • Tuesday, May 21 2013 3:31 PM EDT2013-05-21 19:31:19 GMT
    WASHINGTON (AP) - Wind, humidity and rainfall combined precisely to create the massive killer tornado in Moore, Okla.
    WASHINGTON (AP) - Wind, humidity and rainfall combined precisely to create the massive killer tornado in Moore, Okla. And when they did, the awesome amount of energy released over that city dwarfed the power of the atomic bomb that leveled Hiroshima. Meteorologists contacted by The Associated Press used real time measurements to calculate the energy released during the storm's life span of almost an hour.

  • Tuesday, May 21 2013 3:46 PM EDT2013-05-21 19:46:46 GMT
    OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - The father of an 8-year-old Oklahoma boy says a teacher saved his son's life as a tornado tore into their school yesterday.
    OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - The father of an 8-year-old Oklahoma boy says a teacher saved his son's life as a tornado tore into their school yesterday.