Jared Hensley, assistant principal and athletic director at Soddy-Daisy High in Tennessee, has been placed on administrative leave after he said “girls ruin pretty much everything” in a video he made for the student body.
According to ABC News, the video was meant to announce a ban on athletic shorts — which he said he “had” to enforce, despite knowing that it would make boys unhappy.
“And if you want to blame someone, blame the girls, because they pretty much ruin everything,” Hensley said in the video. “They ruin the dress code, well — ask Adam. Look at Eve. That’s really all you got to get to. You can go back to the beginning of time.”
He continued, “So, it’ll be like that for the rest of your life; get used to it, keep your mouth shut, suck it up and follow the rules.”
The video was uploaded to YouTube but quickly taken down. The Chattanooga Times Free Press re-uploaded it, which resulted in backlash and accusations of misogyny from both the school’s community and the entire internet.
Cher, I go to Soddy Daisy High and I can’t thank you enough for your support and your defense. I’m crying right now. He has said some horrible things off camera as well and I just find it amazing that someone like you will stand up for us and in a way me. Thank you so much.
— Hanna Nikole (@little_miss_nd) September 27, 2018
We will NOT stand for this language and sentiment from a school official here in Hamilton County, @hamcoschools. Watch the VP of Soddy Daisy High say that the girls in the school are to blame for all dress code issues in this video (start at 2:45): https://t.co/EjerOr8bhm
— momsforsocialjustice (@momsforsj) September 26, 2018
staff at sdhs set the tone for students and as a FEMALE senior, i can say i have been verbally sexualized inside the walls of sdhs by other male students all 4 years attending. this is an issue you don’t joke about because it’s not funny. it’s degrading to women.
— hannah rogers (@hannahkrogers) September 26, 2018
I saw this on my local news. This is from my high school and just such a sad state of affairs, especially in the era that we’re in now. #BlameTheGirls because it’s never the guys fault, right?https://t.co/Ts1PFYUlui
— Laura Hutson (@lhutsonofficial) September 26, 2018
Oh, and Cher.
Tennessee high school AD put on leave after saying girls ‘pretty much ruin everything’ – USA TODAY Women Really Ruined Everything Since Adam & Eve?
I Dont remember Women Being Responsible for WW1&2,Priests Abusing??,Inquisition,Slavery, Holocaust,Napalm? https://t.co/DJBxgM1SH1— Cher (@cher) September 27, 2018
Hamilton County Superintendent Bryan Johnson made the announcement that Hensley would be placed on leave on Wednesday.
“We have reviewed the video content,” Johnson said in a statement. “We find the comments about young women in this video inexcusable, as the sentiments expressed do not align with the values of Hamilton County Schools. The situation is under investigation, and this employee has been placed on administrative leave effective immediately.”
Others — including female students at the school and even the senior class president — came to Hensley’s defense.
— Tori Brown (@brown20_tori) September 26, 2018
As a FEMALE Senior at Soddy Daisy High School, I do believe that better word choice could of been used. But being a student- Athlete, Hensley is one of the Best VP and athletic director SDHS has had and no one fights for what we want as students. He actually cares about us.
— Mikayla Phillips (@_mnp_3) September 27, 2018
I’m a FEMALE senior at soddy daisy highschool and have attended there for all 4 years and just wanted to put it out there that girls DID ruin the dress code in all honesty. And coach Hensley has been a great leader in our school for so many people, myself included. It was a joke
— Morgan Owensby (@mlo46_morgan) September 26, 2018
There’s currently no word on if or when Hensley will return to his position at the school.