The Oklahoma elementary school principal with a drag queen persona and who had previously faced child pornography charges has resigned.
Shane Murnan, who performed drag shows under the alias “Shantel Mandalay,” submitted his letter of resignation as principal of John Glenn Elementary School to the Western Heights School district on Thursday, State Schools Superintendent Ryan Walters announced.
“The drag queen is out at Western Heights. I’ve demanded it from day one,” Walters said in a video posted on X Friday. “This is not what parents want for their kids.”
“Our students will be protected from predatory behavior, and I have been crystal clear that I will not allow Oklahoma schools to become a training ground in drag queen propaganda.”
Murnan had served as principal at the elementary school in Oklahoma City since June 2023, Fox 25 reported.
The popular social media account Libs of TikTok initially exposed Murnan’s alleged drag queen activities in August 2023.
A video of Murnan in full drag surfaced of him reading children’s books during a story hour at the Metropolitan Library System on June 15, 2021, was shared after his hiring, the outlet reported.
Library officials said a background search of Murnan’s past was done before the event.
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Social media posts then surfaced alleging Murnan had previously faced child pornography charges.
Shortly after his hiring, the Western Heights School District announced it was “aware of previous charges that were dismissed more than 20 years ago.”
Though the district did not explain the nature of Murnan’s charges, users on social media began sharing local reports on an individual with the same name accused of looking at “pornographic images of children under the age of 18” while teaching fifth grade at another Oklahoma elementary school, according to Fox 25.
He resigned from his position before later re-entering the profession.
Shortly after he was hired, the Western Heights School District announced that it was “aware of previous charges that were dismissed more than 20 years ago.”
Walters had called for Murnan’s resignation since Sept. 2023, but the district has fought back, vouching for the principal’s “outstanding” reputation.
Following the backlash over his past, Murnan broke his silence in an interview with NonDoc last September, saying he was receiving “Lots of hate, considering I’ve been the same person for 26 years doing the same thing.”
“It’s not like I’m quiet about it,” he told the outlet. “I’m very open with who I am. I don’t hide who I am.”
Murnan had also once applied to become a church minister in 2014, according to the Christian Post.
As the public became aware of Murnan’s past and that the school administration was choosing to keep him on as principal, the district began receiving threats — prompting them to hire extra security and instruct Murnan to work off-site most days.
Murnan read children’s books during a story hour at the Metropolitan Library System on Jun. 15, 2021, dressed in drag. Metropolitan Library System/Facebook
He was later put on paid administrative leave, which, according to the outlet, cost the district an additional $65,000.
Walters called Murnan’s resignation “a necessary step to protect kids in Oklahoma” in his announcement Thursday.
Walters said he has launched an investigation into the district’s hiring practices.
With Post wires
Source link: https://nypost.com/2024/02/04/news/oklahoma-drag-queen-elementary-school-principal-shane-murnan-resigns-amid-outrage/