FOOTAGE of a now-suspended high school principal giving and receiving a lap dance to the school's mascot has gone viral and enraged parents.
The Buhach Colony High School in Atwater, California, in the Central Valley, held a back-to-school pep rally on Friday.
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However, just three days into the new school year, principal Robert Nunes found himself at the center of a social media storm as parents accused him of being inappropriate at the event.
Parent Ryan Attebery, who has a son and two daughters at the school, shared footage from the rally on Facebook which has since gone viral.
"Am I a square or was this weird af for a principal to do?" Attebery wrote in the caption.
The accompanying video saw the school's mascot Thor take off the principal's hat and throw it away - before twerking in front of him as students cheered.
Nunes leaned back in the office chair, exposing his bare stomach with his half-buttoned shirt.
The principal appeared to enjoy the dance before suggestively setting off a gold confetti cannon from the side of his hip.
Nunes then switched places with the mascot, pretending to push him down into the chair before crouching down to dance.
As students cheered, Nunes grabbed a microphone and shouted, "What happens in Buhach stays in Buhach," which received wild cheers from the crowd of students, some of which had gathered around the principal and the mascot.
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"Hey these are your kids this is what they're seeing, you guys get to see it too," Attebery told ABC News affiliate KFSN-TV.
"He might be [good] but weird is weird.
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"They say like, 'Oh, he's trying to be funny,' But like, if that's you trying to be funny, just don't be funny.
"Or he was trying to be cool with the kids, but that isn't cool,"
The rally was Las Vegas-themed, according to Attebery and other parents on Facebook.
The video saw mixed responses from parents and students at the school with many left disgusted by the behavior.
"This is disturbing. Very suggestive," one Facebook user commented on Attebery's post.
"I don't think it's appropriate at all! My daughter is a freshman here and I heard all about it. Not cool," a furious parent wrote.
"I would be livid if my daughter told me about this! It’s gross!" a third added.
What happens in Buhach stays in Buhach!
Robert NunesPrincipal of Buchah Colony High School
However, others came to the principal's defense.
They described him as a "widely respected and loved" man in the community and called him a great influence.
Other supporters insisted the situation has been blown out of proportion.
"Teachers love him, students love him and co-workers love him. Stop making it out like he had bad intentions," one Facebook user wrote.
"This principal has been amazing, and cleaning some of the stuff up," another said of Nunes.
"I have two kids that attend school here, and I’m not offended by it.
"It’s been blown WAY up. As a parent, I’m p****d…but that they are doing this to a good person."
A third agreed, saying it has been "blown out of proportion" before calling out the behavior of cheerleaders at other schools during halftime shows.
"I have heard that morale has been so much better with students and staff since he came," they wrote.
"It is a shame that all people see is a short video and do not have the whole story."
Full Statement from Merced Union School District
"The Merced Union High School District has placed Mr. Robert Nunes, Principal of Buhach Colony High School, on administrative leave effective Monday, August 19, 2024.
"This action follows an incident at the Back to School rally on Friday, August 16, 2024. This decision comes as part of our commitment to maintaining a safe and respectful environment for all students and staff.
"The District is conducting a comprehensive review of the situation. While the investigation is ongoing, Mr. Nunes will not be participating in any school-related responsibilities or activities.
"In the interim, Executive Director Torrin Johnson and Associate Principal David Rogers will serve as the Acting Principals to ensure the continuity of leadership and support for our students and staff.
"We are confident that Mr. Johnson and Mr. Rogers will provide effective guidance and uphold MUHSD values during this period. MUHSD will provide updates as appropriate while respecting the confidentiality of the investigation process."
Source: KFSN-TV
In response to some of the reactions, Attebery posted an update on Facebook saying that his initial post was to allow members of the community to "make their own judgment."
"To the parents who seen this and are happy it was made public. This was for you. To anyone else. Your opinion is your opinion and you may be right. Time will tell and I hope you are. for student's sake," he added.
The Merced Union High School District suspended Nunes on August 19 and said it is "conducting a comprehensive review of the situation," it told KFSN-TV in a statement.
"While the investigation is ongoing, Mr Nunes will not be participating in any school-related responsibilities or activities."
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This is Nunes' first year as principal at the school but he has worked as an educator in the school district for decades.
The U.S. Sun contacted Nunes and the Merced Union School District for comment.
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