Iowa high school students subjected to anti-gay lecture, performance from Christian nu-metal group

Iowa high school students were recently subjected to an anti-gay lecture and concert from infamous Christian ministry You Can Run But You Can't Hide, founded by Minnesota-based musician Bradlee Dean. Dean, who came up in the heavy metal scene of the 1980s, also co-founded and plays drums for Junkyard Prophet, a Christian nu-metal group that routinely also performs at these assemblies.

School officials were apparently not privy to the content of the lecture before agreeing to let the ministry conduct it, and according to reports many students left the lecture in tears:

“Students told the La Crosse Tribune that a number of students at the program left crying. Superintendent Jim Stanton told the student body that the group’s “opinion about intolerance” is “not in line with the beliefs of the Dunkerton Community Schools.” Dean’s group has performed at the school before, but it appears the message was mellower then.

Stanton told TPM that the school is trying to “move forward” after the performance last week. The school system is developing an “action plan,” including a committee of students, teachers, administration staff and parents that will screen all performers before they are welcomed to the school. The school is offering counseling for students. And the district is trying to recover the money it paid the band.”

The ministry and Dean have vowed to return to reiterate their message, claiming they've been grossly misrepresented by the media, according to other reports:

“They want to defend their message, which they claim has been misrepresented since Thursday's school assembly.

Bradlee Dean, founder and executive director of the controversial ministry, said Friday the group intends to send a representative to Dunkerton this week. That person will show images taken during the recent performance. 'All of it's on film. That's what the people of Dunkerton are going to be presented with sooner or later,' Dean said.

A place and time has not been announced. Jake McMillian, the organization's chief operations officer, said Saturday the group is having difficulty finding a site. 'That town is extremely small. The main venue [the school], I guess the only venue, is booked up,' he said.”

The same report goes on to note that school officials were expecting the ministry to conduct an anti-violence, anti-bullying, anti-drug rally, but instead focused on damning homosexuality and abortion with shocking imagery:

“The presentations included images of aborted fetuses and AIDS patients suffering the effects of the disease, according to students. Those who tried to leave, including teachers, were shouted down, mocked and intimidated, according to witnesses.”

A clip of the infamous lecture can be watched below. To our readers in high school: What sort of assemblies have you attended while at school? Do you think these sorts of things have a place, well, anywhere? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.