Examiner

Bob Grisham, a psychology teacher and head football coach at Lauderdale County High School, is under suspension for remarks he made to students about First Lady, Michelle Obama. The remarks, recorded by a student in class and made public by Times Daily on Feb. 5, 2013, were racist and anti-gay.

Michelle Obama

The first of the remarks made by Grisham were about First Lady, Michelle Obama. He called her “fat-butt” and said it looks like she weighed 180 pounds, adding that she is overweight. Grisham said Michelle Obama was the cause of the 600-calorie lunches at the school. A person in the background on the audio adds to the comment with “She looks like a gorilla.”

Gay bashing remarks

Bob Grisham didn’t stop with trashing the First Lady. He went on to bash gays by calling them “queers.” Grisham states in the audio that “I don’t like queers” and “I don’t believe in queers…what they do is wrong and an abomination against God.”

Coach gets suspended

The school board had an emergency meeting on Feb. 5, 2013 to discuss the remarks made by Grisham. As a result of his remarks, the board suspended him for 10 days. Part of his reprimand includes taking a sensitivity training. Grisham will not be allowed to teach his psychology class for the remainder of the 2012-2013 school year.

Some feel that this is too harsh a punishment—but is it? A good teacher sparks healthy conversation and the ability for students to offer up different and opposing opinions. Grisham’s remarks went beyond that. The school board seemed to think so when they removed him from teaching for the remainder of the school year.

Students at Lauderdale County High School got a first hand lesson for Black History Month this week. Thanks to their teacher and coach, Bob Grisham, they learned that racism is alive and well in Lauderdale County, Alabama.