Princeton City Schools is aware of a video circulating on social media. The safety and well-being of our students remain our top priorities.
Our district policies comply with state and federal laws, as well as Ohio High School Athletic Association rules and regulations. We have reviewed the video clips released by Accuracy in Media (AIM) and are investigating the full context. The video, which involves an AIM representative posing as a new family to our district, appears to have been edited in a way that misrepresents a months-old conversation.
It is troubling that outside groups are using deceptive tactics to entrap staff and generate negative publicity. Princeton City Schools follows the law, and we are committed to providing additional training to staff regarding student participation in athletics and facility use, in accordance with Ohio state law.
We are consulting with legal counsel regarding AIM’s tactics and will take appropriate measures based on our findings. If community members have evidence or concerns, we encourage them to share that with our superintendent.
Princeton stands for both compliance with the law and for justice. We urge our community not to be misled by misleading portrayals designed to divide and distract.
For questions, please contact Superintendent Card or district leadership at 513.864.1093.
Letter from Superintendent G. Elgin Card to parents, community, and staff:
Dear Princeton Families,
We are aware of a video currently circulating on social media, and I want you to hear the facts about this directly from me. The well-being and safety of our students are top priorities of Princeton City Schools. The Princeton City School District policies and procedures adhere to state and federal laws.
Along with being compliant with laws, Princeton City Schools follows the Ohio High School Athletic Association's rules and regulations. If anyone has evidence to the contrary, I encourage them to share that with me or the Board of Education. We will review and are committed to providing additional training to staff regarding student participation in athletics and facility use, in accordance with Ohio state law.
We have seen the video clips that Accuracy in Media (AIM) has chosen to release and are investigating to understand the full context. We will follow appropriate measures based on the findings. Based on what we currently know, AIM is promoting a conversation that took place months ago, which included a discussion about high school and club sports with a staff member. The video features an AIM representative pretending they are a new family moving to the area with a transgender student who wishes to participate in sports and use the locker room.
Our Princeton administration recognizes that the video shows people from outside of our community targeting our district in a deceptive tactic to secretly film a staff member. They filmed with the intention of using words out of context and using a topic to draw out controversial views. AIM edits out context to make their videos sensationalized. These videos are used to help get online viewership, sponsorship, and negative publicity for public schools.
We have seen this same organization do this in multiple districts across the country and in neighboring communities. It is troubling that people pretending to be something they are not are intentionally trying to entrap school staff members. We are working with our legal counsel about our options.
This is Princeton. We follow the law, but our community also stands up for justice and against outsiders trying to come in and disrupt our village. We are disappointed by AIM's deceptive tactics and efforts to promote false accounts to the organization’s benefit.
If you have questions about this situation, do not hesitate to reach out to me.
Sincerely,
G. Elgin Card, Superintendent