NAMES IN THE NEWS : Principal Raps Artist for Remark

A principal decided to cancel an anti-drug talk by rap artist Flavor Flav at a high school after seeing another member of the group Public Enemy on television.

Flav was to appear as part of an anti-drug program Monday at North Central High School.

The program was canceled after Principal Charles Roach watched Friday’s edition of the ABC News program “Nightline,” in which a discussion of racism in music included a clip of Public Enemy member Professor Griff calling Jews wicked. The rap artist later apologized.

“Based on the controversy associated with Public Enemy, the convocation in my opinion was not going to be a positive experience,” Roach said Monday.

The Rev. Charles Williams, president of Indiana Black Expo, which sponsored the anti-drug program, said he was disappointed and that Roach’s decision bordered on racism.