In the midst of student-organized protests the week of Nov. 29, Principal Ken Proulx quietly slipped out of the country on a planned family vacation to Europe. After refusing multiple requests for comment, Proulx finally agreed to a virtual interview with the ECHO this week.
“Can you believe how beautiful the city is?” he remarked from a balcony overlooking the Paris skyline. The Eiffel Tower was visible in the background.
When asked about the student protests and the controversy that sparked them, Proulx took a long sip of wine before answering.
“The culture, the nightlife, the history. It’s all so fascinating. I love Paris.”
At that, he set down his glass of wine and procured a fresh baguette, which he began eating loudly. Proulx was then asked about larger issues of racial inequity facing East, a school with one of the largest achievement gaps in the nation.
“I went to the Louvre yesterday.” he said. “Astonishing, truly astonishing. Did you know the Mona Lisa is actually really small?”
Having finished the baguette, Proulx moved on to a tray of croissants. After giving vague, Paris-related non-answers to sixteen subsequent questions, the interview appeared to have ground to a halt.
“I will say this,” said Proulx, seemingly all out of French pastries, “I want all students at East to feel that their voices are heard—you know, that reminds me, the French accent is so mesmerizing. It’s like melted butter pouring right out of their throats. Such a wonderful country.”
He then stroked his mustache, donned a beret and left the meeting to frolic through the streets of the City of Light.
Image by Hammond Cole Sherouse/The ECHO, constituent photos courtesy of Goorin Bros., Wikipedia and Caroline Chen/The ECHO
