Canyon ISD president calls for Paul Blake to resign due to inappropriate remarks

At Monday evening’s Canyon Independent School District board meeting, board president Bill Jenkins called for Place 1 board member Paul Blake's resignation, calling him unfit to serve.

Jenkins brought up Blake’s conduct and ineffectiveness as a school board member during an agenda item regarding a resolution for a renewed commitment for board members to the mission of Canyon ISD.

The reasoning for the resolution, according to Jenkins, was the behavior of Blake as a board member representing the Canyon ISD. Blake was called out for his comments referencing the LGBTQIA+ community during an April 23 candidate forum held at Trinity Fellowship Church in Amarillo.

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During the candidate forum, Jimmy Witcher, senior pastor for Trinity Fellowship in Amarillo, asked church member candidates how they plan to use their voice and influence to combat the transgender LGBTQIA+ agenda using schools as a vehicle for its purposes.

Blake then proceeded to answer, referring to his previous comments from last year where he referred to the LGBTQIA+ community as having deviant behaviors and that there should be no books in the library that references what he called the “alphabet community.”

“I am not a bigot; I am not a racist,” Blake said at the church forum. “I just don’t think the school board has any business in sex education or promoting a perverse, degenerate, demonic thing that's from the devil because there is nothing right. You know, it's a mental issue; it’s not anything that we should be dealing with in school."

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Jenkins referred to these comments as not consistent with the mission of the school board. He said that after hearing Blake’s comments making derogatory remarks toward a group of people who live their life differently from him.

“I find it highly offensive. I am appalled by it. I am embarrassed by it, and I find it unethical,” Jenkins said during the meeting before reading the resolution.

Jenkins then proceeded to read from Mark Chapter 12, verses 28-34 of the Bible.

“I read that many times today, and it does not say anywhere to love your neighbor only if they worship like you, only if they sexually identify like you, only if their skin is the same color as yours. None of it this says,” Jenkins added.

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Jenkins then proceeded to read the resolution aloud and then moved to public comment, with multiple residents speaking out about Blake’s comments.

Randall County teacher Rachel Huddleston spoke to students' reactions to Blake's anti-LGBTQIA+ comments. She said that his comments violated the code of ethics of the school board.

"Mr. Blake has repeatedly demeaned our students, teachers and families with his inappropriate, hateful comments,” Huddleston remarked. “Anyone who could refer to a child as being degenerate or demonic has no place making decisions for them. As a parent and a teacher of this district, I have lost all faith in the office you hold, and I respectfully request the board adopt regulations on board member conduct when speaking about our children in public.”

Following public comment, the board passed the resolution 5-1, with Blake voting against the resolution. Jenkins then spoke about Blake's performance as a board member, which included not fulfilling his obligations to do his due diligence as a board member in evaluating the district’s superintendent and other duties.

“For those reasons and for the reasons stated tonight, I find you unethical, unfit and ineffective as a board member; I personally ask for your immediate resignation,” Jenkins said to a stunned crowd that drew substantial applause.

Blake gave no answer to the request for his resignation at the meeting, followed by regular public comment.

During these comments, multiple supporters of Blake defended his anti-LGBTQIA+ remarks and accused the board of not doing their job removing books that they find objectionable, many of which have LGBTQIA+ and sexual themes.

One speaker, Candace Stagner, stated that the “perversion, pornographic material and LGTQIA+ lifestyle being promoted and taught in these books is evil and will destroy the kids of the CISD and the generations to come.”

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Other speakers referenced their opposition to books and attacked the faith of board members for their inaction in removing what they deem inappropriate books. There was also opposition expressed to Jenkins' remarks during a school board training session conducted April 3, where he had said that some of the derogatory comments toward the board made him want to throw up.

"I am absolutely disgusted with Bill Jenkins and want you to resign as soon as possible,” Jeff Stocker said. “I thank Paul Blake for standing up for what he believes in a public forum.”

Blake's comments during the forum have reportedly prompted an LGBTQIA+ advocacy group to pursue litigation due to his comments as a board member. There is also a petition online from Randall County High School students asking for his resignation for these same comments.

Blake refused to comment for this story when asked for a response.

Carolyn Baum spoke during public comments about Blake’s comments denigrating the LGBTQIA+ community.

“The comments that he made were very degrading to a large portion of Generation Z who identify as LGBTQIA+,” Baum said. “We have to find a way to do what is best for all the district's students, not just the ones he agrees with.”

This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: Canyon ISD president asks for resignation of Paul Blake