A Kanawha County judge is expected to make a decision next week in connection with a George Washington High School student’s claims that her free speech rights were violated.
Circuit Judge Duke Bloom heard from both sides Tuesday in an injunction request filed by senior Katelyn Campbell against George Washington High School Principal George Aulenbacher.
Campbell claims Aulenbacher threatened her after she made critical comments to the media about an abstinence only speaker at the school earlier this month.
Aulenbacher testified he did call Katelyn into his office but never made any threats.
“I told her, ‘I feel like you stabbed me in the back.’ “I said,” ‘Why wouldn’t you come and speak to me first and give me a heads up?’ “I told her,” ‘how would she like if somebody called your college and made accusations about you without you even knowing they made it?'”
Aulenbacher also said students were not required to attend assembly and he checked out the speaker with the school’s health nurse before her appearance.
Campbell, who has called the presentation slut-shamming, says she no longer fears Aulenbacher might threaten her chances at Wellesley College, but still believes her principal should be removed from his position.
“I think that in the moment he spoke to me that he was trying to intimidate me, but at this point I don’t believe he is going to go forward at any means to hurt me. But I just want to be reassured and protected that that won’t happen,” Campbell testified.