The Texas high school that served as the inspiration behind Buzz Bissinger’s 1990 bestseller Friday Night Lights has been rocked by a sex-scandal-related suicide.
Mark Lampman, a social studies teacher at Permian High School in Odessa, was found dead last week (07May14) after suffering a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the chest. Reports suggest he resigned from his job amid allegations of an improper relationship with a student.
Bissinger’s book about the challenges of a high school football coach and his team was adapted into a movie and a spin-off TV series. A criminal investigation into Lampman’s apparent suicide has been launched.
Meanwhile, school officials are keen to halt the vile social media postings about the drama. A statement from the board reads: “We know and understand emotions are raw, and we have seen a number of very inappropriate and hateful posts to social media sites this evening. Out of respect for the families involved in this tragedy, we are urging everyone to remove all angry messages from all accounts and refrain from posting any more. “This type of dialogue is not helpful, nor is it healing. We consider ourselves part of the same team – the same family – and we must work together to get through a difficult time like this.”
