Oklahoma superintendent and Libs of TikTok celebrate bullying gay principal out of job for drag persona

A gay man and longtime educator in Oklahoma resigned from his role leading a school after right-wing extremists pressured him out of a job. Having endured months of harassment, which he says happened after Libs of TikTok's Chaya Raichik focused her attention on him, Shane Murnan has left his school district after 26 years of service.

In a candid conversation with The Advocate, Murnan outlined the events leading to his early February resignation as a school principal.

The events that led to his departure from John Glenn Elementary School not only cast a spotlight on the precarious position of LGBTQ+ educators within the educational system but also highlighted the chilling effect that social media, when weaponized by ideological groups, can have on individuals’ lives. Murnan says his professional life has been irrevocably altered.

It all began August 29, he says, when he was confronted by his superintendent about a tabloid piece that threw him into the spotlight, not for his professional achievements but for his participation in drag. “I’ve done drag for 26 years, and I’ve been in education for 26 years,” Murnan shared.

The revelation quickly escalated into a nightmare of threats, including bomb threats directed at his school and home after Chaya Raichik’s Libs of TikTok account targeted him and his school, he says, compelling his superintendent to place him on temporary administrative leave. Despite the alarming situation, Murnan found solace in the support of his superintendent. “We’re all going to go down together. We’re going to support you,” he says they told him.

However, Murnan’s ordeal intensified when come October, he was informed of leaked photographs from his Facebook account depicting him in drag from two decades prior.

The pressure on Murnan didn’t stem just from these events, but he says it was significantly amplified by the campaign against him by Libs of TikTok, an account known for its anti-LGBTQ+ stance. Yet, despite the onslaught of threats and a concerted effort led by this platform, Murnan remained steadfast in his role. The situation reached a climax in December when, he said, he was coerced into resignation to alleviate accreditation pressures on the school district, revealing a distressing intersection of politics and education.

Faced with an untenable situation, Murnan made the difficult decision to resign.

Republican state superintendent Ryan Walters, condemned by LGBTQ+ advocacy groups for appointing Raichik to a state board to consult on school library books, publicly celebrated Murnan’s resignation on X, formerly Twitter. “Drag queens do not belong in Oklahoma schools. Zero tolerance,” he wrote.

This public declaration of victory was compounded by a photograph of Walters alongside Raichik, both smiling, captioned “Making Oklahoma schools safe with [Chaya Raichik, Libs of TikTok].” The irony of Walters’s claim to safety is stark, considering Raichik’s role in targeting people online who later become victims of violence and harassment, like Murnan.

Libs of TikTok wrote, "I started discussing Shane months ago and even flew to Oklahoma to their board meeting where the board protected him. This is a big win for students of Oklahoma!!"

The account has drawn significant scrutiny for its link to stochastic terrorism, particularly in light of the bomb threats that have been a disturbing consequence following Raichik’s posts. Stochastic terrorism refers to the public demonization of a person or group, resulting in the incitement of a violent act, which is statistically predictable but individually unpredictable. Raichik’s targeted criticisms of LGBTQ+ individuals and educators like Murnan have not only fueled a hostile environment but have also preceded anonymous threats of violence against schools and people.

In October, Oklahoma schools suffered a series of repeated bomb threats after Libs of TikTok called attention to grievances Raichik had with educators. Oklahoma schools have recently been in the news following the death of LGBTQ+ teen Nex Benedict, who was bullied at school. Walters has repeatedly doubled down on his assertions that there are only two genders in the face of calls to resign for what local advocates say is a school environment unsafe for children.

Neither Walters nor officials with Murnan’s former school responded to The Advocate’s request for comment.

Murnan says that after signing his resignation letter, the district asked him to sign an additional agreement that included a clause preventing him from publicly discussing the controversy. But he refused to sign this nondisclosure agreement, instead sharing his story publicly.

“I’m a very professional person — I’ve worked really hard. I’ve gone to school. I got my bachelor’s, my master’s, my doctorate — I have been devoted to education, trying to improve schools,” he said. “But they’ve destroyed me, and I don’t know where I’m going or what I’m doing now. It has been a nightmare. They have destroyed my life.”

”Right now, it’s not about the kids in Oklahoma,” he added. “It’s all about politics.”