Although it obviously was not their intent, Shelton High School officials might as well have stood up at their press conference Thursday and yelled ‘We’re the villains!’ a freelance marketing consultant said.
Like seemingly half the planet, Stuart Weiss of the recently launched MarketingEFX, LLC has been following the Shelton prom controversy on Twitter.
The Orlando, Florida resident watched Shelton High School headmaster Beth Smith’s one-minute statement to the media Thursday, where Smith announced — without actually saying it — that school officials would not budge on their decision to ban James Tate from attending the school’s prom.
Tate hung a giant sign made of cardboard on school last week asking a girl to the prom. He received an in-school suspension. Shelton High School policy states that any student receiving an in-school or out-of-school suspension after April 1 cannot go to the prom.
Everything about the way the press conference was staged was a public relations disaster, Weiss said.
Smith’s body language seemed angry. There were no smiles or introductory statements. The men who flanked her came across on television as her bodyguards, Weiss said.
It was a lesson in poor public relations management, Weiss said.
“If anything, it will be a teachable moment,” he said. “I’ve watched that video several times. The way the school administration walked out — all we saw was a lot of anger. It looked like this had become personal, that it was no longer about the policy,” Weiss said.
The school district needs to have a public relations firm on hand or at least someone formally trained in how to deal with the press, he said.
“The way she carried herself in front of the camera was not good. This was the opportunity for the school district to tell their story. The coverage had been one-sided. The court of public opinion had been working against them all day,” Weiss said.
The school’s actions will only fuel students who could attempt a rally or sit-in, Weiss said. In the morning, a handful of students actually attempted a sit-in Friday, May 13.
“Now it’s become ‘rage against the authority,’” Weiss said.
Smith is being bashed on the Internet on Facebook and by comments on websites.
Shelton’s David Grant, of David Grant Caterers, said regardless of what people think of the prom decision — the personal attacks against Smith need to stop.
“She has devoted her whole life to the teaching and caring for our children,” Grant said.
People need to calm down.
“I’ve known her for many, many years. She is a friend. She was a teacher when my kids went to school there. My wife taught with her,” Grant said. “She is a compassionate person. She cares about the students. She is an awesome educator. She’s taking the brunt of it — and, unfortunately, no one is stepping up to help her.”
Grant said Smith has integrity and is a professional. While she’s not the type to wilt under pressure, Grant said he’d like to see her colleagues show her some support.
“Where’s the support from her Board of Education? They are letting her swing,” he said.
