“I’m Gonna ‘Moon’ the School Board.” It’s Legal!!!” Says Irate Citizen!!! NC Law Check says she is correct!! And they deserve a good “mooning” says I Especially at the ballot box!!! Report, analysis and arguendo by Robert A. Williams

Editor’s Note: This “Mooning” concept, showing disrespect, disregard, scorn or protest, was mentioned in my last article regarding the Sheriff’s Department. There is more to it than just going “Butt” Naked.

This past weekend I received a call from a person that I personally know that has become totally irate at the School Board and has said so. Many times.

This person is irate that School Board member Danny Blanton, duly elected by the citizens of Cleveland County has to sign up for Public Participation just to get a three-minute chance to say things that the Board doesn’t want to hear. Refuses to hear-The truth. You can tell they (the others on the School Board) don’t want to hear the truth because they won’t ever allow Danny Blanton to speak. Or allow him to have an item on the school board agenda; a “right” every other school board member has, but never uses. So, Danny Blanton was totally correct to use the public participation law in order to speak for the citizens of Cleveland County. And Blanton has done well.

There is more, much more for this person and every other citizen and taxpayer in Cleveland County to be irate about regarding the School Board.

The School Board has NEVER replied during open session to any person regarding any problem that any person has brought before them under Public Participation. That is counting Danny Blanton. This is a prime example of the School Board showing a complete disrespect and disregard for the citizens of Cleveland County.

The School Board wastes tax dollars with wild abandon. Well over $12Million worth or waste at Shelby Middle School and North Shelby School construction. Likely $millions waste regarding the credit card scandal where nobody went to jail. Probably the most egregious waste coming out Cleveland County Schools is the thousands of students that have been cheated out of a proper education at CCS because of crazy do nothing programs that miseducate students as well as the removal of vocational classes from CCS that deprive students of needed job skills. All, despite many warnings and complaints from the public. A blatant example of disrespect and disregard to the citizens of Cleveland County. So, in effect, the School Board and CCS administration have been “mooning” the citizens of Cleveland County all along-figuratively speaking. “Mooning,” figuratively speaking by the school board to the citizens. The Sheriff’s Department too. The Commissioners, Cleveland Community College, the DA’s Office, DSS, The Health Department. All “Mooning” us in wanton disregard.

So, when the person called me over the weekend, stating she was thinking about turning all this disrespect and disregard around on the school board by “mooning” (literally) the school board back at a school board meeting seemed to me was fully justified, but maybe not wise. She might get arrested for indecent exposure. And I said so.

The caller then stated she had done some research and found that “mooning” is NOT illegal in North Carolina. Mooning is NOT indecent exposure under NC law as long as the “front side” is not exposed. Even Federal Courts have ruled that “mooning” is a legal exercise of one’s First Amendment Rights to Free Speech. From her conversation, I realized that was actually serious about actually and literally “shining” her backside on the School Board sometime soon. To give them a dose of their own medicine.

My advice was to think of some other way to “moon” the school board without actually baring anything. Maybe one of those long tee-shirts with a cartoon “backside” on it. Something that would get the message across to the foolish school board without running the risk of an arrest. As that would be likely, even if the charges couldn’t stick.

Anyway, the person sent me some of her legal references saying she was still considering doing the real thing.

I was hoping this would be the end of it, but thinking this “mooning” the school board might actually happen. So, I did a little research myself.

The first thing I did was to google “Mooning tee shirts.” The first thing that popped up was this “Mooning” tee shirt available on Amazon. See the image at the end of this article. I thought this was an “artful” way to express “Mooning” without being vulgar and “low-class” as the Butt Naked original version. No skin, back or front, is exposed to support even a phony arrest chard charge of “indecent exposure” while still getting your point across.

Further investigation on the internet encyclopedia says “Mooning is used in the English-speaking world to express protest, scorn, disrespect, disregard or provocation.” Therefore, is proper for me to say the Sheriff’s Department “mooned” the citizens of Cleveland County when they brought back the female officer charged with crimes and put her on the Sheriff’s Department Honor Guard and displayed her in a Christmas Parade.

It is certainly proper for me to say that the School Board, Cleveland Community College Board of Trustees, the city of Shelby City Council “Mooned” the citizens and taxpayers of Cleveland County by showing their disregard and disrespect for the tax payers and citizens by their wasteful spending and shutting off citizens from having their opportunity to actually participate in the CCC Bot meeting citizens participation part of the agenda.

So, why not “Moon” this corrupt crowd back every chance we get. Tastefully, artistically and figuratively “Moon” them by showing up for their phony meetings wearing a “Mooning” tee shirt that lets them know with certainly that we are protesting their disregard and disrespect for us. Signing up for Citizens Recognition and stand there for a full three minutes, smiling at them without saying even one word would get your point across. And then following-up by “Mooning” them out of office on Election Day. The ultimate “Mooning” demonstration that disgraced and defeated former Chairman of the County Commissioners, Eddie “Massa Eddie” Holbrook, received in the 2018 elections. An effective “Mooning” that cleans up corruption at the same time.

This certainly makes one think that a tasteful and artistic “Mooning” symbol of protest may be a good tool for our coming boycotts, protests and demonstrations during this 2020 election cycle?? It also identifies a movement with unity aplenty. Think about it.

Also, the double moon on this attached picture of a Tee-Shirt could be replaced with a single moon to show unity of purpose. And still get the point across.

Mooning is legal in North Carolina Law. Click Here.