Peyton principal apologizes for poop 'lesson'

Peyton Elementary Principal Michael Auclaire apologized to students and parents Tuesday afternoon for a "lesson" the previous day in which he told students to don a glove and look inside a soggy bag of human feces and urine.

The incident occurred because he and the school's janitorial staff were frustrated by ongoing messes left in a girl's bathroom generally used by fourth- and fifth-graders, Auclaire said. While his intention was to get the kids to understand how inappropriate it was to defecate on the floor or a toilet seat, or to leave a bag of excrement, he said Tuesday that making the students handle the bag of waste "was not the best thing to do."

"So today I went in and apologized to the kids, and I wrote a letter to apologize to their parents," he said.

He heard from several parents Tuesday, who questioned why he made the children handle the soggy bag.

He said each child was given a janitorial glove and was told to remove it by pulling it off from the sleeve - not the fingers - and to wash their hands. He said he believes most of the students washed their hands after the incident, although they were not monitored.
Brian Tally, the father of a fourth-grade girl and also the fourth-grade girls basketball coach, said he learned of the incident from his daughter after school.

"My daughter said it was absolutely disgusting," he said. "I was just appalled. I couldn't believe anyone would do something like that."

Tally and parent Kerri Peters said no note of explanation or information about any ongoing problems in the bathrooms had been sent home prior to Tuesday.

Tally said that he spoke briefly with Auclaire on Tuesday morning, and that he told the principal he thought the action was inappropriate and that he was concerned about the health risks.

When asked what they would like to see happen, both Tally and Peters questioned whether Auclaire, who is new to the school this year, should keep his job.

"I don't know if an apology is enough," Peters said. "How is he any better than the child who did this?"

While Tally said his initial reaction is that the principal should be removed, he said he is willing to listen if Auclaire will have a discussion with parents.

"I just really want to make sure my daughter is safe," Tally said.

Auclaire, who is retired from the Air Force and taught math at Peyton High School last year, said he's invited parents to come to the school Thursday afternoon to talk about the incident and anything else that's on their mind. He also said he has worked hard to get to know all students at the school, and played basketball with some on Tuesday.

As for the bathroom problems, Auclaire said the messes likely are being made by a troubled student, and when he talked to the classes on Monday he emphasized that he wanted to talk to and help whoever was responsible.

He said the bathrooms will be monitored more closely in an effort to prevent further problems.

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Contact the Writer: 636-0251 or sue.mcmillin@gazette.com