ROCHESTER, N.Y. — The assistant principal of an upstate high school has sparked outrage with a Facebook Live video he recorded during the Rochester protests — in which he screamed, “F–k the police!”
In the video, which made the rounds on social media Saturday, Steven Lysenko of Spencerport High School, goes on a tirade against police officers for targeting protesters in Rochester. The city has been rocked by nightly protests in reaction to recently released police body-camera footage of the March arrest of Daniel Prude, a Black man who died of asphyxiation a week later.
Spencerport High School, located in suburban Rochester.
Lysenko complained about officers targeting protesters even though “we didn’t do anything but chant and sing,” according to copies of the video that have gone viral online, New York Post reported.
“Our peacekeepers ended up shooting pepper spray at us for singing and chanting and telling them what a s—ty-assed job they were doing,” he complained in the clip, which was saved and shared on social media.
“They can f–k right off, America!” he shouted.
“F–k the police! F–k Rochester Police Department!” screamed the school official while wearing a Black Lives Matter shirt.
School officials in the suburban village addressed the uproar over the post in a message Saturday — while stressing the scandal will be “addressed as a confidential, personnel matter.”
“We apologize to our students, parents and community that you had to hear this language from one of our employees,” Spencerport Central School District said in a statement.
The district insisted it “stands in solidarity in support of racial equality and systemic change” and stressed that “we further stand in solidarity with peaceful protesters.”
“However, when a District employee uses language in public or on social media that does not align with our Code of Conduct or demonstrate appropriate role modeling for students, that is something that we will not condone,” the statement stressed.
“These statements by our administrator have caused disruption within our school community,” it conceded.
Nevertheless, the response was not enough for some outraged at his tirade, according to the Post.
“Any Spencerport student with a similar rant on social media would have consequences. This is not respectful and encourages hate. Fire him,” Jeff Belles wrote to the district.
However, more than 2,500 people appeared to have signed a Change.org petition demanding he not be fired.
