A high school principal in Ontario, Canada was the target of parents who tried to have her removed from her job due to “satanic” imagery related to her Iron Maiden fandom. However, it appears efforts to remove the principal have failed.
The campaign to remove Sharon Burns as principal at Eden High School in St. Catherines, ON started with a petition on Change.org, which read in part, “As concerned parents with impressionable children at Eden High School in St. Catharines, Ontario, we are deeply disturbed that the principal assigned to the school blatantly showed Satanic symbols and her allegiance to Satanic practices on her public social media platforms where all the students can see them under @edenprincipal (not her personal account). Our school is based on inclusion, and openly displaying Satanic symbols (on a public social media platform) that directly goes against the principles of the vast majority of families who represent the school, is not inclusive. As parents we are demanding her transfer to another school.”
The “Satanic symbols” in question included a photo on her Instagram of an Eddie figurine, and under that figurine was a small sign that included a heart with “666” in the center. Once news of this petition started getting attention in the press, an update was added that stated, “Please Note: This petition is NOT about Sharon Burns’ love for Iron Maiden. At NO POINT has it ever been. This petition is about a principal of a school openly displaying her OWN handmade sign with the 666 clearly displayed on it which she knows full well what that SATANIC SYMBOL means to the vast majority of families in her school AND she put it on a PROFESSIONAL, public @edenprincipal account on social media, NOT A PRIVATE ONE, which she very easily could have done. If she had not posted a picture of her own handmade 666 sign, this petition WOULD NOT EXIST. Nobody cares what band she likes and this is not about her choice in what she listens to. That would be petty and nonsensical.”
This petition to remove Burns as principal has since been deleted from Change.org but not before a counter-petition was launched in support of Burns.
“Recently, there has been a petition going around to ‘remove’ the principal of Eden High School. It is ridiculous that a couple of parents only judge her role as a principal only based on an Instagram post. (About liking the band Iron Maiden. That’s it.),” notes the counter-petition. “Eden High School is a public school. Not a Christian school. If you somehow don’t like the principal of your child, grandchild, relative etc.’s school, then send them to another one.”
The counter-petition further notes, “The principal has made so many efforts to remind students that Eden is a diverse place. She has even turned a whole room into a prayer room for students who are practicing religions other than Christianity, like practicing Islam. She has made Eden a safe space for so many people. She spreads nothing but love and kindness, and is probably one of the best and most enthusiastic principals the school has ever had.”
This all seems to be a major understanding by a select few, and it appears that Burns is actually a respected educator and leader in her community. While Iron Maiden has yet to comment on this, here’s hoping this ordeal is brought to their attention and they invite Burns to an upcoming show.