TUNICA COUNTY, Miss. — The principal of Olive Branch High School was arrested over the weekend in Tunica County on charges related to drunk driving, and now the district has placed him on temporary leave.
Jacob Stripling was pulled over in a routine traffic stop around 7 p.m. Saturday. He was charged with DUI refusal and failure to yield to an emergency vehicle.
Concerned parents reached out to WREG to say Stripling’s actions are setting a bad example for his students.
“It’s sad, but everyone makes their own choices,” one parent said. “Sometimes they’re good; sometimes they’re not.”
“He should be setting a better example for the kids he’s supposed to be representing and being in charge of and making sure they’re safe at school, yet he’s going around and doing the things he supposedly teaches them not to do,” another parent said.
Parents said Stripling should be held accountable for his actions, but other said hopefully this is a lesson learned.
“If God can forgive us of our sins, maybe we can forgive him,” a parent said. “Everybody makes mistakes.”
The DeSoto County School district said Stripling has been placed on administrative leave while the matter is investigated.
Stripling was released on bond the same night as the arrest and is currently awaiting his court date.
