Middle school releases disturbing yearbook
DEVIN WEEKS | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 2 years, 11 months AGO
This is an example of one of the questions posed to students in the Canfield Middle School yearbook. The yearbook contains inappropriate materials. Principal Nick Lilyquist has issued an apology.
Image via Facebook
The seventh grade class page from the Canfield Middle School yearbook.
Cover of yearbook with content deemed inappropriate by the Coeur d'Alene school district administration and of great concern to parents.
Devin Weeks is a third-generation North Idaho resident. She holds an associate degree in journalism from North Idaho College and a bachelor's in communication arts from Lewis-Clark State College Coeur d'Alene. Devin embarked on her journalism career at the Coeur d'Alene Press in 2013. She worked weekends for several years, covering a wide variety of events and issues throughout Kootenai County. Devin now mainly covers K-12 education and the city of Post Falls. She enjoys delivering daily chuckles through the Ghastly Groaner and loves highlighting local people in the Fast Five segment that runs in CoeurVoice. Devin lives in Post Falls with her husband and their three eccentric and very needy cats. | June 11, 2022 1:00 AM
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COEUR d'ALENE — Canfield Middle School Principal Nick Lilyquist apologized Friday for the school's release of a yearbook containing disturbing content.
With a "Top Secret" theme chosen by the Coeur d'Alene public school's student yearbook staff, the yearbook includes questions posed to students: "What crime would you commit and what weapon would you use?" and "How do you think you'd do in prison?" Student answers include, "The crime I would commit is murder using a World War II gun" and "The crime I would commit would be rob a bank using giant scissors."
“Unfortunately, some of the pages reference violence, which we absolutely do not condone in our building and district," Lilyquist wrote, in a statement. "On behalf of Canfield Middle School, I offer my apology for anyone that is offended by any content in the yearbook. Again, please know there was absolutely no intent to truly condone violent behavior; rather, they were going with the mystery theme."
The school district's administration also issued a statement acknowledging that the yearbook included several pages referencing crimes, including murder.
"This content clearly is inappropriate for a school yearbook, and the district deeply regrets that the yearbook was published with this material," the statement said.
Lilyquist notified parents about the inappropriate yearbook Thursday night. Parents and community members expressed concerns and outrage on social media.
"Canfield middle school FAILED big time," mom Lesli Schmehl-Mortellaro posted.
The worst part, she wrote, other than the book itself, is the vague message parents received from the school.
"As a parent I was like, 'Oh some kids had odd photos taken or wrestling/bullying was captured and printed," she posted. "Nope! It’s worse! And they downplayed it."
The school is offering full refunds to any family requesting one.
In addition, Coeur d'Alene School District officials said they will contact the yearbook publisher to see what it would take to republish the yearbook without the offensive material.
The district will also review the procedures schools follow to approve yearbook content prior to publication.
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