The State ran this piece today on Principal Eddie Walker, who tendered his resignation (effective at the end of next year) because of the formation of a Gay/Straight Alliance group at Irmo High School. The story devotes exactly half a sentence to those who support the GSA. See if you can find it.

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Irmo principal draws support

Many back Eddie Walker, who’s leaving school because gay-straight club violates beliefs

By JOY L. WOODSON – jwoodson@thestate.com

While Irmo High principal Eddie Walker still is not talking about his resignation announced nearly a week ago, many in the community are speaking out for him.

Support has been emerging since Walker announced in a letter that he would step down at the end of the 2008-09 school year because a gay-straight club being formed on campus was against his religious and professional beliefs.

Since then, there have been prayer meetings, groups launched on social networking Web sites and — in a strong showing earlier this week — a rally before the Lexington-Richland 5 school board, which included rounds of applause for the man who has led Irmo High since 2005.

Walker has declined repeatedly to talk with The State about his resignation, saying in an e-mail as recently as Wednesday: “I feel my initial e-mail, when read in its entirety, says everything I intended to say.”

His supporters say his refusals for media interviews aren’t surprising. The man they know isn’t swayed from his morals, and he doesn’t apologize for them.

“He has such integrity, and he’s such a great guy, and he loves his students,” said Megan Brasington, 17, a senior at Irmo High. “Those who love Mr. Walker all love Mr. Walker, and they can’t say a bad thing about him.”

She recalled a time when he listened to her mother’s objections to a summer reading book. Walker read it and later removed the book from the reading list, she said.

Some say his brand of leadership, backed by deeply held religious views, was needed when he took the job at Irmo. At that time, gangs had started filtering in, and teachers and parents were concerned.

“He brought discipline back to a really large school that needed discipline,” said Janice Hammond, a former District 5 school board member, who pushed for Walker to succeed then-principal Gerald Witt.

Before coming to Irmo High, Walker — who has been in education for more than 28 years — led the district’s Alternative Academy for Success.

It was there that Sue Madden learned of his style firsthand. Her Chapin-based outreach organization, GOoD Works, allowed students from the alternative school to earn community service hours. And these were young people, she said, who needed someone’s focus.

“Eddie Walker was that man to do it,” said Madden, 56. “It was a great group of kids, and it was because Eddie Walker believed in them.”

While some in Columbia’s gay community have criticized Walker as potentially creating a less open, unsafe environment for some students, Walker’s supporters say he cares equally for all his students.

Brasington said the potential for a hostile environment targeting gays “is baloney.”

Parents, like Beth Hinson, say they, too, trust Walker.

“Mr. Walker is a man who stands up for what he knows is right and will not compromise his principles, no matter what the cost is to himself,” she said. “The world would be a better place with more people like him in it.”

Paul DuPre, a parent in the district who has known Walker for more than three decades, said he also thinks the school will continue to be the kind of place he wants his children to attend, especially with Walker’s leadership.

“I have total confidence in Mr. Walker as a principal and total confidence that he will work in the best interest of all students.”

Reach Woodson at (803) 771-8692.