Students Duct Tape Fairhaven Principal To Gym Wall

Steve Morgenweck is the new principal at Fairhaven’s Wood School. While Mr. Morgenweck is still becoming acclimated to his new role, it appears the students and staff at Wood are hoping he will "stick around" a little longer. They spent the morning lining up to tape their school principal to the gymnasium wall.

The stunt was part of the PTO’s fundraising effort to raise money for school field trips and end of the year activities. If the kids raised enough money, Mr. Morgenweck agreed to be duct taped to the wall. “I’m here being taped against the wall because of your hard work and effort,” the principal told his students. “So give yourselves a nice big round of applause.”

Earlier in the morning the foundation of tape was laid down by parent and teacher volunteers, along with Fairhaven Public Schools Superintendent Tara Kohler. They all used regular gray duct tape, but that was just the beginning.

The students were each given colorful duct tape to finish off Mr. Morgenweck. “I am looking for you, my Wood School scholars, to decorate me,” he said. One grade at a time, each class lined up along the side of the gym, selected a piece of colorful duct tape, and added to the effort.

Mr. Morgenweck was held up against the wall while standing on a wooden chair. Eventually, the chair was replaced with gymnastics mats. Do not be fooled, the process did not unfold without a small level of anxiety for Mr. Morgenweck.

“Once the taping is complete, we will pull the chair from under my feet, and God willing, I will remain suspended from the wall instead of dropping like a very heavy sack of potatoes to the ground,” he said. “At that point, students will head back to their classes while I receive medical care,” he joked.

Luckily for Morgenweck, his body remained taped to the wall when the mats were removed. "It was like getting a hug from duct tape," he said. According to Morgenweck, some students admitted they were a little disappointed the tape held up, he said with a smile.