Salina’s Rep. Claeys tweets dismay at Kansas State band director’s punishment
Rep. J.R. Claeys, a Salina Republican, called Kansas State University’s decision to punish its band director “a steaming pile of crap” on Monday.
“How about we sit quietly in the stands for fear of offending a bunch of pantywaists,” Claeys said in one of a couple of tweets critical of the university’s actions.
What a steaming pile of crap. How about we sit quietly in the stands for fear of offending a bunch of pantywaists. https://t.co/lMS1stjjMC
— J.R. Claeys (@jrclaeys) September 8, 2015The university announced Monday that it would pay a $5,000 fine to the Big 12 Conference and suspend band director Frank Tracz for one game. The actions came after K-State’s band did a routine that some spectators said looked like the Jayhawk, the mascot of rival University of Kansas, was performing a sexual act during last Saturday’s game against the University of South Dakota.
“This. This is offensive. A band formation is not offensive. This is offensive. Also KU blows,” Claeys also tweeted.
This. This is offensive. A band formation is not offensive. This is offensive. Also KU blows. #emaw https://t.co/lMS1stjjMC
— J.R. Claeys (@jrclaeys) September 8, 2015Fellow Republican Rep. Brett Hildabrand, who represents Shawnee, responded to Claeys in agreement. “So the K-State band gets punished for someone else’s perverted mind? Makes sense [sarcasm],” Hildabrand tweeted.
Defenders of the routine say that it was merely a depiction of the U.S.S. Enterprise from Star Trek attacking a hostile life form, the Jayhawk. William Shatner, who starred as Captain Kirk on Star Trek, called K-State’s decisions “a travesty” on Twitter and said Big 12 leaders need to “step down and get their eyes checked.”
I think it's time for the @Big12Conference leaders to step down and get their eyes checked. What a travesty! https://t.co/VDkOOA5dUl
— William Shatner (@WilliamShatner) September 8, 2015This is not the first time that Claeys has butted heads with K-State’s administration on social media. In March, Claeys responded to comment the university’s president, Kirk Schulz, had made about the state’s budget process by commenting on Twitter “… as long as ‘feminist thought’ remains on the line schedule.”
Claeys also recently engaged with the Kansas Federation of College Republicans when the group passed a resolution to oppose the death penalty. Claeys accused the group on Twitter of wanting to allow “cop killers to have a shot at adding child rape to their record.”
This story was originally published September 8, 2015 at 7:31 PM with the headline "Salina’s Rep. Claeys tweets dismay at Kansas State band director’s punishment."