Montco elementary teacher who played Nazi wrestler will keep his job
"The character I portrayed did not reflect my personal feelings or beliefs."
Kevin Bean, an elementary teacher in Montgomery County who moonlighted as a local professional wrestler under the name Blitzkrieg, will keep his education job following an investigation by the school district.
"Based on the investigation completed, we have found no evidence indicating violation of board policies by Mr. Bean," David R. Goodin, the superintendent of the Spring-Ford Area School District, wrote in a letter to parents that was obtained by multiple media outlets and confirmed by the district. "As such, Mr. Bean will continue to remain a teacher within the district."
Bean's role as a wrestler using a Nazi gimmick garnered controversy in the district after a video from a World Wide Wrestling Alliance show in Quakertown on July 23 revealed the 36-year-old educator raising his hand in a Nazi salute and shouting "Sieg heil!"
"A wrestler named Blitzkrieg 'The German Juggernaut' using a nazi gimmick at a recent local show in Pennsylvania. This video makes me sick," Ryan Satin, the editor of Collider's Pro Wrestling Sheet, wrote on Twitter. "Watching the guy do nazi salutes on his way to the ring while children in the crowd cheer him on like a good guy is terrifying."
"The character I portrayed did not reflect my personal feelings or beliefs, and I do apologize to those in the community who were offended by such actions," Bean wrote in the letter to parents. "I have spent many years working in the Spring-Ford community, and pride myself in providing an exceptional education to my students over the course of 14 years."
Bean could not be reached for comment, and it's unclear if he is continuing to wrestle in the WWWA. Bean's character is no longer listed on the wrestling organization's website, and the video of his Quakertown match has been removed from the organization's YouTube channel.
Readers had some strong opinions about Bean's character after the story surfaced last month, leaving many comments on Philly.com's Facebook page.
"Wrestling can't even have a heel now?" Anthony Natalini wrote. Damon Williams wondered "why THAT character," and suggested that Bean should "do better."
John Petrini thought the core issue was compensation, writing, "Pay teachers what they're worth and they won't have to do part time gigs."
The WWWA did not respond to a request for comment. Dino Sanna, owner of the WWWA, told the Blast news site in July that Bean was a "good guy and not a hateful person," adding that he was religious, with close ties to his local church.
"Everyone has a gimmick. It's wrestling," Sanna said.