School board upholds firing of assistant principal for reading ‘butt’ book to students

By Madeleine Nolan

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    HINDS COUNTY, Mississippi (WAPT) — Toby Price said he’s taking his fight to court after the Hinds County School Board upheld his termination over a children’s book.

Price, former assistant principal at Gary Road Elementary School, was fired after he read “I Need a New Butt” to second grade students. Price was suspended before almost immediately being fired. He appealed the firing, but the board voted 2-1, with two abstaining, to uphold Price’s termination.

“It is the opinion of the board that Mr. Price’s contract should be terminated due to his incompetence, neglect of duty and for good cause,” the board said in the ruling.

The board said there was “credible evidence” that supports firing Price.

“I am still really sad about what has happened, because at the end of the day, I was asked to read to engage kids, and I picked a book that I knew my kids loved,” Price said in a text to 16 WAPT News. “The next step is filing in chancery court.”

Price said he read the same book to students in 2020 with no trouble.

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