Via Newsday comes the story about the rise of Principal Poopypants, arch enemy of the popular children’s book hero Captain Underpants:
If the captain’s creator, author Dav Pilkey, were to write the story of the conflict Wednesday at Long Beach High School, it might open like this: The evil school principal went insane with horror when he saw three girls strolling brazenly through hallways looking like caped crusaders. Naked caped crusaders.
But in reality, principal Nicholas Restivo is simply an administrator who, on Superhero Day, had a problem with the way the three seniors were dressed. He issued them an ultimatum: Change clothes, cover up or leave school.
At the root of the clash was Captain Underpants, chubby superhero star of popular children’s books in which he battles talking toilets and foes such as Professor Poopypants.
Peter David comments on his blog (and gives the principal his new nickname):
What the hell was he TALKING about? They were wearing capes, so seen from the back, they wouldn’t appear topless. Seen from the front, they would only appear naked if the biology teachers at Long Beach failed to teach the kids that girls have breasts. Nevertheless, the mere suggestion was enough to make Principal Poopypants issue an ultimatum that the clever teens cover up. Having no clothes to change into, the girls had to go home.
The Principal (real name Nicholas Restivo) stated he didn’t know the character, “not that it mattered.” Talk about having your underpants in a bunch. Someone should send Principal Poopypants a collection of the series.
Two things … first, Superhero Day is an awesome idea; I wish they had it when I was in school. Second, “The outfits looked so much like nude skin that they caused a commotion among students, Restivo said.” I’m sure the subsequent media coverage hasn’t done anything to cause a commotion … nice work, principal!
October 26th, 2006 at 12:05 pm
Part of me wants to side with the principal. They look naked, and naked is disruptive. A principal that uptight should recognize the innate perverseness of superheroes before declaring a “superhero day”.
October 26th, 2006 at 12:47 pm
Captain Underpants is a hugely popular series of books that younger elementary school kids (usually boys) absolutely love. The fact that it was three girls who chose to dress as the hero is totally hysterically funny to me (I’m a librarian, and I know how popular the books are). That a school principal should plead total ignorance of a character whose books have been so popular for so many years just goes to show that he has not bothered to keep up with popular youth literature (something we librarians complain about regarding school administrators and teachers all the time).
October 26th, 2006 at 1:26 pm
You know, I can see where the Principal is coming from, BUT… at least they wore bodysuits. It could’ve been a whole lot worse…
October 26th, 2006 at 3:01 pm
If they’d been boys would the school have sent them home?!
October 26th, 2006 at 3:16 pm
Interesting, would boys have been sent home? The thing is that the young ladies still was showing curves and legs and the appearance of nudity can be much more provocative than the actual thing, right? Still, they have a real lawsuit I think because unless the principal had limits mentioned he overreacted. As their parent I would be looking at the school dress code and seeing if the costume broke any rules. Maybe that would be where to start. My hope is that people that read this mail the guy Captain Underpants books in mass quantities, then he donates them to anyplace that would pass them to kids and then that they read a book and then read another book and then maybe become set upon a path that leads to a more literate society.
Then maybe ignorance can be defeated and the future generations will not be as intolorant and unfunny as the current landscape of Grown Ups.
Good Luck & Good Reading!
October 29th, 2006 at 12:21 pm
Everyone who leaves these stupid comments weren’t even at the High School that day. Stop bashing Restivo and worry about your own problems not a dress up day. This was blown out of proportion and the news took the story and ran with it. LBHS is a great school stop bashing us.
May 3rd, 2007 at 7:59 pm
Para que lo censuravan, nada en el mundo debe ser censurado