‘Mockumentary’ May Get Superintendent Fired

Rich Mitchell may lose his job after making a mock documentary portraying his staff as killers, strippers and drug dealers.

The Bremen High School District Superintendent did video interviews with his faculty members, then spliced in his own footage.
"How do you like to unwind?" Bremen High School District Superintendent Rich Mitchell asks in the mock documentary that he later posted on the Internet. The tape cuts to a teacher who replies: "I enjoy a lot of leisure activities."

"Such as?" Mitchell asks.

"Killing," says the teacher.

Mitchell asks another teacher: "What were the results of the last drug test that you took?"

The reply: "It was positive."

The 'mockumentary' was first aired in front of 500 faculty and staff members at a back-to-school seminar. Mitchell then posted the footage, along with outtakes, on the District's web site. The film has since been removed from the site.

School board president Evelyn Gleason is quoted as saying: "I personally think he stepped over the line when it went on the Web site. We're a great district, we have wonderful teachers and students and this is not representative of them. I think it was a bad idea gone wrong."

The seven-member board will conduct an investigation.

(Thanks, Accipiter.)

Photos Pranks

Posted on Wed Oct 04, 2006


Comments

hmmm, "a bad idea gone wrong"? Would that make it a good thing?
Posted by Tru  in  Other Words  on  Wed Oct 04, 2006  at  10:00 AM
I understand where this comes from. A lot of companies do "funny" videos and show them at conferences and the like.

But in this case, where we're talking about high school teachers, it's a stupid idea. Especially stupid to post it on the internet.
Posted by AqueousBoy  on  Wed Oct 04, 2006  at  02:26 PM
I think this is a pretty ridiculous over-reaction. No one got hurt, and no one seriously thought anyone was a killer or drug dealer, it's an obvious joke. I would have laughed at it, I'm sure. Make me wish my school would have had a good enough sense of humor to do something like that.

He shouldn't lose his job over it, IMO
Posted by Josh  in  Texas  on  Wed Oct 04, 2006  at  04:45 PM
This is hilarious! I mean, it's not really that big of a deal, but it makes me laugh. Just think of some of your teachers over the years portrayed as "killers, strippers, and drug dealers." This immediately brought a smile to my face.
Posted by Archibold  on  Wed Oct 04, 2006  at  05:26 PM
I say - hang 'im (his job, anyway). What this country needs is a whole lot more homosexual school superintendents and principals, especially those who embarrass their staff on the internet - yeah, right.
Posted by stork  in  the spiracles of space  on  Wed Oct 04, 2006  at  06:41 PM
Sounds like it would be a good modern-civics lesson. "Be sceptical of apparently unbiased TV interviews and news documentaries."
Posted by cvirtue  on  Wed Oct 04, 2006  at  06:45 PM
...and especially if they can actually spell 'Superintendants' and 'Principals' correctly. ummm, moseying off, now...zzz
Posted by stork  in  the spiracles of space  on  Wed Oct 04, 2006  at  08:56 PM
An investigation? It seems they already know what happened and who did it. It was a joke that obviously stepped over the line, but I don't really see why an entire investigation is needed.
Posted by Razela  in  Chicago, IL  on  Thu Oct 05, 2006  at  01:28 AM
OK, does anyone know if the mockumentary had any disclaimer when it went on the internet? If it did, I doubt there is any case. If not, being on the District's website might imply truthfulness. And the outtakes wouldn't prove it being a parody unless they inherently showed that it was a made up work. However, I love the idea.Shame we can't see it.
Posted by Christopher Cole  in  Tucson, AZ  on  Thu Oct 05, 2006  at  05:19 PM
Razela, I suppose that the investigation is into whether or not the guy acted inappropriately, and into what should be done about him if so.
Posted by Accipiter  on  Fri Oct 06, 2006  at  12:57 AM
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