Spring-Ford Teacher Who Wrestles As Nazi Will Not Be Fired

ROYERSFORD, PA — Kevin Bean, the Spring-Ford teacher who moonlights as a Nazi wrestling character, will not be fired following an investigation into his activities outside of school, according to an email which the district sent to parents.

Bean, 36, a teacher in the Intermediate School, drew widespread attention earlier this summer when a series of videos showed him in character as "Blitzkrieg, the German Juggernaut." In videos of his performances, Bean can be seen giving the Nazi salute. He shouts "Sieg hiel, Blitzkrieg." He waves a flag with the German Iron Cross.

In the letter, Spring-Ford Superintendent David Goodin wrote that the investigation found that Bean did not violate any "board policies" in portraying the Nazi character. "As such, Mr. Bean will continue to remain a teacher within the district," Goodin said.

Bean also offered an apology in the letter.

“The character I portrayed did not reflect my personal feelings or beliefs and I do apologize to those in the community who were offended by such actions," Bean wrote. "I have spent many years working in the Spring-Ford community and pride myself in providing an exceptional education to my students over the course of 14 years.”

One concerned Spring-Ford parent told Patch that the district's response was unacceptable.

"(Bean's actions) are morally repugnant and have brought negative attention to the district, not only nationally, but internationally," the parent, who is a father of two young daughters in the district, said. "It is beyond embarrassing as a parent and member of the community. With such a decision, how are students expected to respect or even take seriously an educator with such poor judgement?"

The video which spurred the discovery was taken at a recent event in Quakertown. It shows Bean come out from behind curtains waving the flag into a small, tightly packed, dark room with a wrestling stage in the middle and the crowd standing along the walls. He is pitted as the anti-American enemy of another wrestler, not yet on the stage. Some patrons jeer the character, while at least one man is shown in the video returning the Nazi salute.

"This video makes me sick," Ryan Satin, a writer with the industry publication Wrestling Sheet, wrote in a tweet sharing the clip.

"While many understand that professional wrestling is a form of entertainment and not a reflection of one’s personal beliefs," Goodin wrote in the letter, "Mr. Bean understands that the character he played has been viewed by some as being offensive."

It's not yet clear if Bean will continue to play the role of the Nazi wrestler.

Some parents say that the decision sets a dangerous precedent for teacher behavior out of school.

"The fact that I had to discuss with my daughters why people are talking about a Nazi that teaches in the 6th Grade Center was bad enough," one parent wrote. "Obviously, however, it was not deemed bad enough by the Board, because now I get to explain that this “educator,” one that portrays an individual representing a horrific group of people that were responsible for the death of some 6,000,000 of their ancestors, is still teaching in the district."

Bean has been an employee of the district since 2004.

The Spring-Ford Area School District did not respond to media requests to provide the email which was sent home. Copies were provided to Patch by district parents.

Image via Youtube Screenshot