VIRGINIA — The principal at Mount Vernon High School has publiclyapologized for a weight loss product advertisement she placed in theschool’s yearbook.
Principal Nardos King said in a statement she did not proofread her adprior to publication, but has since “put practices in place to ensure thatthis will not happen again.”
The ad for Body Magic products claimed users could “lose up to threesizes in 10 minutes.” It also promised to control blood sugar and enhancesex drive, according to the Mount Vernon Gazette. King sells the productsas a side business.
The ad appeared in the 2009-2010 Surveyoryearbook and prompted complaints from some parents.
“I am writing you to express my deepestapology for my error in judgment in placing an inappropriate ad in the schoolyearbook, which advertised products that I sell during my personal time,”
Principal Nardos King said in a statement to the community.
The statement did not provide details onKing’s new procedures for the yearbook. Paul Regnier, spokesman for theFairfax County Public School System, said the district has not made any policychanges. He did not have specific information about the practices at MountVernon High School.
Regnier said the district has always viewedprincipals as publishers of student newspapers and yearbooks.
“The principal is responsible forwhatever is in the yearbook, there’s no doubt about that,” hesaid.
Adam Goldstein, attorney advocate for the StudentPress Law Center, said a publisher is someone who spends his or her own money ona publication. In this case, influence from the principal actually caused themistake.
“The principal is the problem,”Goldstein said.
The Gazette reported the district took an “undiscloseddisciplinary action” against King. Regnier would not comment on theactions taken.
Calls to King’s office were referred to Regnier.