After reading the children’s book, “I need a New Butt,” to students, a school official at an elementary school in Mississippi was fired. Toby Price was let go as assistant principal after reading the book to second graders.
A Zoom class for the kids at Gary Road Elementary School in Byram was set up by Toby. NBC News reported Toby was told to read the students a book when the principal failed to show up as planned.
“I text my boss, she said, ‘Well, go ahead and read.’ I wasn’t planning on reading, but I went ahead and grabbed one of my books that I had nearby,” Price told the network.
“One of my favorites. I read it: ‘I Need a New Butt!’ It’s hilarious,” he said, adding that he had read the “fun, silly book” at his previous school and “never had an issue with it.”
According to Price, “there are other books that have much more suggestive material that are much more widely accepted,” WLBT reported.
Price said he was summoned to the principal’s office shortly after the class ended. He was informed that parents might complain about his choice of book. He was placed on administrative leave.
To his knowledge, no parents have complained, The educator said. Due to its use of words like “butt” and “fart,” the network reported that the Hinds County School District felt it was inappropriate.
Cartoon images of a child’s hiney are also reportedly included in the book.
According to WLBT, Price showed “a lack of professionalism and impaired judgment” for picking the book, the school district superintendent wrote in Price’s termination letter.
“I just think that, you know, this was a pretty harsh reaction. I’ve been in education for 20 years. I’ve never had a disciplinary anything put in my file, and I didn’t for being late. So I was blown away,” Price said, WLBT reported.
According to the New York Post, a description for “I Need a New Butt!” – a children’s book written by Dawn McMillan – says a child tries to find a new butt after discovering that his “has a huge crack.”
Will he choose an armor-plated butt? A rocket butt? A robot butt? Find out in this quirky tale of a tail, which features hilarious rhymes and delightful illustrations,” it said.
“Children and parents will love this book — no ifs, ands, or butts about it!” the description adds.
At a hearing scheduled for March 21, Price said he plans to appeal his firing.
“I am just looking for some help to pay bills while I look for another job,” he wrote in a GoFundMe account.
The fund drive raised $7,124 of its $7,500 goal as of Thursday.
“If I had to do it all over again, I’d still share the silly, funny books with the kids because they need them. The world’s a serious, harsh, dark place, and everybody needs a little bit of silly and a little bit of laughs every now and then,” he said, NBC News reported.
“They just need that reminder that it’s not all bad all the time,” Price added.
