Petition to ‘Keep Dr. Ruff’ reaches 50,000 signatures

Students to present school board with document in support of suspended STEM administrator

DOWNINGTOWN >> Support continues to grow to reinstate STEM Academy administrator Zachary Ruff, however some supporters do not condone his verbal response to pro-life protesters.

A group of Downingtown STEM Academy students plans to deliver the more than 50,000 “Care2” petition signatures they gathered by Monday evening to support Assistant Principal Ruff, at the public school board meeting on Wednesday night. Ruff was placed on administrative leave because of his response to two teenagers who protested against abortion outside the nationally ranked school on April 21.

“As Downingtown STEM students, we do not condone the lan-

guage used by Dr. Ruff directed at the pro-life protesters, however we would like to say the actions taken by Dr. Ruff were both morally and legally justified, and as such, he should continue his critical role at the STEM Academy as the Dean of Academics and Student Life,” Care2 petition co-author Zach Ng said in statement on the online petition.

Ruff, a district employee for 15 years, previously taught at Downingtown East High School before he became the dean of academics and student life at STEM Academy. The school of the Downingtown Area School District opened during the 2013-14 academic year.

Comments on the petition note that protesters blocked traffic and distracted drivers with graphic, bloody images of fetuses. In the video, Ruff said that he was protecting his students and the protesters said he was hiding the “truth” about the “holocaust of America.” When protester Conner Haines, who videotaped the interaction in part, told Ruff that aborted fetuses were murdered, Ruff called them cells.

During the public comment portion of the school board meeting last week, many people spoke in support of Ruff and several others were against the language and behavior expressed, as seen in the 20-minute video. Some disputed if the protesters shared their message in a civil manner or not, while others expressed views that Ruff berated the protesters.

STEM student Maisy Mewer, a junior, said Ruff cares about students and that is why she stands with Ruff, a sentiment that is trending on social media. She said Ruff acted inappropriately with strong language, as he cursed in his response to the protesters, but she questioned why people who say they are peacefully protesting would begin by recording the protest when an administrator approaches.

The authors of the petition had a goal to gain 50,000 signatures. Of the signatures, more than 5,700 are Pennsylvania residents. They originally had a goal to gain 787 signatures because there are 787 STEM students. The petition circulated before a faithbased organization, on behalf of the teenage protesters, announced it is seeking an apology from Ruff and the school district for his response to a pro-life demonstration. District spokeswoman Patricia McGlone noted a school district apology on its website prior to the request.

“We do not condone or support the conduct expressed in the video and are deeply disappointed that this incident occurred,” the district statement reads in part. “His conduct does not represent the values of the school district or the respect we expect our employees to show for the civil rights of others.”

Alliance Defending Freedom, a faith-based organization, is representing antiabortion protesters Lauren and Conner Haines. In addition to an apology, it is seeking an acknowledgement that the protesters had a right to demonstrate outside the school on a public sidewalk. Conner Haines and Ruff had debated that when Ruff initially asked them to leave and to stop talking to the students who drove by or walked by them. Alliance Defending Freedom representatives said the issue is also a matter of the right to freedom of speech.

“No one should ever be harassed and berated by a government employee on a public sidewalk simply for peacefully engaging in one of the most common free speech activities,” Alliance Defending Freedom Senior Counsel Kevin Theriot said in the letter last Wednesday to the school district.

The next school board meeting is scheduled for Wednesday at 7 p.m. at the administration building at 540 Trestle Place.