Backstage 1985: Iron Maiden members Nicko McBrain and Adrian Smith, Nicko MacBrain, Bruce Dickinson and Steve Harris. Paul Natkin/Getty Images
Canadian high school principal is a huge fan of Iron Maiden, and shares his love on social media.
Parents began a petition to transfer Sharon Burns, principal of Eden High School.
They felt it was inappropriate for her post a drawing featuring the symbol "666."
High school students from St. Catharines (Ontario, Canada) have begun a petition to get a school official fired because of Iron Maiden.
Nearly 400 people signed the Change.org petition to have Sharon Burns, principal of Eden High School, transferred.
IHeartRadio reported Debbi Lynn started the petition.
The petition stated that parents of children attending Eden High School in St. Catharines (Ontario) are deeply concerned that the principal displayed Satanic symbols and her support for Satanic practices on the school's public social media platforms, where all students can see them under @edenprincipal.
A petition update said that they don't want Burns to be removed because she loves Iron Maiden, but because she "openly displays her OWN handmade sign which clearly shows the 666."
The number 666 can be used to signify the devil, antichrist, and evil.
Iron Maiden was founded in 1975 in East London. They became popular in the 1980s and had several albums go platinum or gold, including "The Number of the Beast" (1982) and "Piece of Mind ( 1983). They are still on tour.
Burns's Twitter bio describes her as "Principal of Eden High School." Growth Mindset Practitioner. Metal & Ska are my fuel. "& chickens."
By Friday night, more than 10,000 people had signed a petition supporting Burns.
"It's absurd that parents judge her principal role based only on her instagram posts. (About Iron Maiden. That's all. Eden High School is a school for the public. This is not a Christian school. If the principal of your grandchild, child, relative, or other person is not what you like, It said, "Send them to another school."
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This incident recalls the 1980s "Satanic Panic", when conspiracy theorists claimed that satanic religions were abusing children. NPR reported.
Vox reported that paranoia increased in the 1980s due to fears over changing family structures and the need to care for children. There was also an increase in concern about kidnapping, as milk cartons began to show the faces of the victims.
Vox also reported that Christian fundamentalism was on the rise, as well as messages opposing spirits. Anti-occult crusader Pat Pulling said that Dungeons & Dragons was a fantasy tabletop role playing game and caused her daughter's suicide. She also called the game dangerous for children.
Vice reported that fear led to heavy metal and certain music being viewed as "work of Satan."
Insider did not receive any comment from Burns, Eden High School, or Iron Maiden at the time this article was published.
Insider has the original article.
