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(CW: Please note the following story describes bigotry, violence, and sexual assault and includes NSFW language.)

For over seventeen years Robert Rechsteiner has served on the Cherokee County board of education and now serves as Vice Chair, having first accepted an appointment to the position in 2005. There were some initial complications with his first election but he ultimately won his seat and easily held it in the years since—in no small part because of his more famous stage name from the world of professional wrestling: Rick Steiner. His career, often paired with his brother Scott, spanned from his 1983 debut into the 2000s, with some events even during his tenure on the school board.

But recent allegations have some local residents questioning if Steiner is fit for public office, as his actions could be considered a violation of the school board’s Code of Ethics.

Fans and professionals in the world of wrestling gathered in Los Angeles this past weekend for WrestleCon, but unfortunately the fun was disrupted by an ugly incident and a familiar name. Gisele Shaw, a wrestler for IMPACT, was on her way to an autograph event when she heard someone yelling slurs and profanity targeting her as a trans woman.

Shaw relates she was shocked to find the abuse was coming from Rick Steiner, and “to have someone saying those comments who a lot of people look up to and consider their hero was quite shocking and disheartening,” particularly as it was International Transgender Day of Visibility. As reported by Rachel Shatto:

Shaw’s story was corroborated by IMPACT Wrestling’s Gia Miller and Daniel Spencer on their social media accounts. Ry Levey, director of the LGBTQ pro wrestling documentary Out In The Ring, also shared his own experiences of witnessing Steiner continuing to use homophobic slurs in the lobby of the Millennium Biltmore Hotel where the convection [sic] was being held.

Following the incident WrestleCon posted the following statement apologizing to Shaw, and confirmed to PWInsider that “Steiner was informed he was not allowed to enter or take part in the remainder of Wrestlecon's events.”

Other figures from the world of pro wrestling decided to speak up in support of Gisele Shaw. Responding to her Instagram post of her story, Chris Jericho responded with the following:

Unfortunately the Steiner Brothers have a reputation for bullying and abuse going back decades. On a podcast interview, Kevin Nash answered a question related to the Brothers’ reputation for violently hazing wrestling talent, a story corroborated by others:

One time this thing goes down and fucking Robbie sticks a pencil up this fucking guy's ass and I looked at him and I said, do you know that's a felony? That's sodomy. I said, I'm walking out of here. I don't want to be in a deposition.

Eric Bischoff relates a similar story in an interview:

Scott basically got his knee in somebody's back and he's duct taping this poor referee's feet together oh no and then they duct tape his mouth so he can't scream and his hands are duct tape and one of the Steiners—and I don't remember which one—takes the guy's pants off and sticks a pencil up his ass.

According to Bret Hart’s biography, the Steiner Brothers abused their fellow wrestlers as a negotiating tactic:

The Steiners had been trying to get out of their contract so they could go back to WCW, where a better paying deal with a much lighter schedule was on the table. Vince wouldn’t release them, so they began intentionally roughing up some of the TV job boys, forcing him to change his mind.

Local parents who learned of the situation over the weekend have been quick to condemn Steiner on Facebook:

On Twitter members of the community accuse the Cherokee County school district of hiding replies related to the Rick Steiner on their official Twitter account.

Steiner’s actions in a public and visible setting are possible violation of the Code of Ethics agreed to by each member of the board. Under Conduct of a Board Member:

Point 4: Take no private action that will compromise the School Board or School District administration.

In addition, his conduct could also be seen as violating or calling into question other sections of the Code:

As of time of writing there has been no public response from Rick Steiner, the Cherokee County school district, or other members of the board of education.

In light of these recent allegations, our community needs to examine the impact of Rick Steiner's actions, both past and present, on his role as a member of the Cherokee County School District Board of Education. The transphobic attack on Gisele Shaw, coupled with Steiner's history of bullying and hazing in his wrestling career, has raised concerns and questions about his suitability for a position in public service and education. Fostering a safe and inclusive environment for all students and staff should be treated as a top priority.

As the situation continues to unfold, it is crucial for the Cherokee County School District and other board members to reflect on the potential implications of Steiner's actions for the school district's image and community relations, as well as their commitment to promoting a safe and inclusive learning environment, remembering that we claim, “The District expressly prohibits the bullying of any person, by any means…” Further investigation and potential action may be necessary to ensure that the values of the Cherokee County School District are upheld. We must hold elected officials to the same standards we do our students, teachers, and district employees—making sure the anti-bullying policy is upheld and all people are treated with the respect and dignity they deserve.

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