Sharon Burns, Iron Maiden fan and principal of the Eden High School in St. Catharines, Ontario, will keep her job despite a group of parents attempting to remove her from the position via an online petition. The petition claimed that their need to remove Burns was not about her being an Iron Maiden fan, but about her display of the number 666 and the Devil horns, and how that might affect "impressionable youth."
According to the National Post, Burns was supported by a counter-petition called "We Need Mrs. Burns" and a few local officials.
"I'm surprised it blew up in the way it did," said St. Catharines city councilor Karrie Porter. "It is funny, silly and frustrating all at the same time."
"As you can imagine, Principal Burns, like all of us, is quite surprised by how her Instagram post led to two petitions and grew to be a topic of interest around the world," added Kim Sweeney, chief communications officer for the District School Board of Niagara. "We know Ms. Burns as a passionate and dedicated educator who is happiest when she can focus on and connect with her students."
The original petition calling for Burns' removal has been taken down.
