High School Principal Fired Over Controversial Prom Appearance

A high school principal in Albuquerque, New Mexico, has been fired during an investigation into a drag queen performance at prom.

According to NBC News, Irene Cisneros, the principal at Atrisco Heritage Academy High School, was terminated in the midst of an ongoing investigation by the Albuquerque Public Schools District into a drag queen’s performance at the school’s prom on April 20.

Multiple Atrisco Heritage employees have also been put on administrative leave.

A video of the performance posted to X showed the drag queen dancing provocatively as students circled around him. The performer approached and danced inches away from students throughout the video, with some students looking away or appearing visibly uncomfortable.

WARNING: The following video contains vulgar images that some readers may find offensive.

NEW VIDEO: Adult Drag Queen Stripper Touches Students in Lewd Performance at @ABQschools High School Prom. This is unacceptable! Principal Irene Cisneros must be FIRED. Contact APS Board – demand Atrisco Heritage Academy Principal Cisneros be fired NOW: https://t.co/mzJWbLAWZm pic.twitter.com/mNbX3jSt1N

— Elisa Martinez (@elisa1121) April 25, 2024

News of the drag performance was first reported by Albuquerque’s KOB-TV, who spoke with Atrisco Heritage students about the performance.

“Honestly, it was really interesting, and I didn’t mind it. But the thing is, it’s the place and where it happened, full of minors, you know. It wasn’t very appropriate for prom,” one student told KOB-TV.

“I was just stunned. I wasn’t expecting it,” another student said.

KOB 4 reported that, based on its conversations with students, the performance appeared to be organized beforehand, although the students were unsure who invited or approved of the drag queen’s appearance.

NBC News also reported that several people expressed disappointment over the performance on Atrisco Heritage’s official Facebook page.

“How wicked and morally corrupt must people be to allow this? Whoever approved this should not be allowed anywhere near children,” one person wrote.

“Every staff member who knew anything about that disgusting spectacle at prom should be fired,” another commented. “Immediately.”

NBC News reported that school district spokesperson Martin Salazar declined to comment on whether the performance was approved by school officials or how many staff members were put on leave.

It’s truly inexplicable why a school would solicit a drag queen to perform at prom, given that most of the students are minors.

What would possibly possess these adults to even consider subjecting their students to a sexualized performance?

It’s even worse that the school apparently failed to warn students or parents of the performance beforehand.

The school unjustifiably intervened in the parents’ decision on whether or not they wanted their children to witness such a performance, demonstrating a profound lack of respect.

And the fact that several students that were interviewed by KOB 4 didn’t mind the performance shows how drag performances have become normalized among minors.

Considering that the school apparently organizing this performance behind the backs of students and parents, it’s likely the school knew that the idea of this performance would anger many.

Yet, they did it anyway.

This incident is a prime example of why the trust in public schools is plummeting.  A July 2023 Gallup poll showed that just 26 percent of Americans have a “great deal/quite a lot of confidence” in public schools, which is an all-time low.

The distrust of Americans in the public school system is for good reason. The drag performance at Atrisco Heritage shows how public educators hold their own ideological agenda over the welfare and safety of our nation’s children.

And if public schools fail to change their ways and put the interests of students first, things are only going to get worse.