Licking and sucking feet and toes is a sexual act, an act designed to give erotic pleasure. For some it’s a fetish. They can’t experience sexual gratification without it, but whether a fetish or simply passion-inspired inspiration, it’s an overtly sexual act. That’s why one doesn’t expect to see that sort of thing in public, not in a school assembly, and certainly not in a school assembly in Oklahoma?!

An Oklahoma high school is under investigation after a viral video of students sucking and licking one another’s toes at a school-sanctioned fundraiser exploded this week.

The disturbing footage shows at least four kids from Deer Creek High School lying on their stomachs on what appears to be a gymnasium floor furiously lapping up peanut butter off their peers’ bare feet.

Graphic: X screenshot

“He is devouring those!” one student can be heard saying, as others cheer in the background and an MC moderates the bizarre competition.

The video racked up nearly 50 million views on social media in just 24 hours — and led to a formal investigation by the Oklahoma State Department of Education.

Fifty million views? That would surely indicate the sensational, salacious, erotic nature of the event.

Graphis: X screenshot

“This is disgusting. We are cleaning up this filth in Oklahoma schools. Our agency is investigating,” state Superintendent Ryan Walters said on X.

Why would any sane educator think this a good idea?

The video was filmed Thursday at the Clash of Classes assembly, which was part of the high school’s week-long fundraiser for a local coffee shop that employs people with special needs, according to the Deer Creek School District.

Students from 9th through 12th grade volunteered to participate in a plethora of class competitions that their peers paid to attend — including the toe-sucking tournament. 

Administrators initially applauded its students for their involvement in its Wonderful Week of Fundraising, which raised $152,830.38 — but later apologized to its student body and parents.

We’ll get to the “apology shortly, but first, this:

One parent described the competition as “excessive,” while another accused the school of not thinking things through.

No kidding.

Texas Sen. Ted Cruz called the activity “child abuse” on X, to which Walters replied: “Completely agree. We are stopping this in Oklahoma.”

Here’s the school’s “apology:”  

We want to stress to our community that much of the information accompanying this video is inaccurate. However, through this specific game we failed to uphold the dignity of our students and the proud image of our community. We have a responsibility to protect our Antlers and showcase them in a positive light. In regards to this one particular activity, we fell short and for that we greatly apologize.

“Inaccurate?” The school approved kids licking and sucking peanut butter off bare feet. What’s “inaccurate" about reporting that? That’s a standard non-apology apology of the type so common these days.

We are taking steps to ensure that this is not repeated, and that all fundraising activities are carried out with the pride and respect worthy of our students, staff and community. We strive to offer a positive experience for both our students and the charity that our annual fundraising efforts support. This is an important part of our WWF mission and will play an even greater role in future decision-making. Moving forward, we want to learn from this experience and do better in the future.

They want to “learn from this experience.” Education was my second, quarter of a century, career. Normally, any activity at a pep rally, fund raising event, any school-sponsored assembly must be approved in advance by the building principal, or perhaps an assistant principal delegated that duty. Someone, virtually always a teacher, has to come up with the idea for any “activity.” “I know! Let’s have kids suck peanut butter off toes!  That’ll raise a ton of money!”  Surely, other teachers were involved—someone had to help buy the peanut butter, recruit the suckers and suckees, arrange chairs, etc.--and thought that a great idea, and so did whatever principal approved it.

Or perhaps the principals involved just trusted the teachers involved, who presumably had never come up with this kind of fetishistic stunt before. If that’s the case, the lessons to be learned “from this experience” are simple: (1) employ sane, non-sexualized people as teachers. (2) employ sane, non-sexualized people as principals, and (3) require all such “events” be pre-approved. Not much "learning" is required to accomplish that.

Should the people involved be fired? That would depend on their records. If they showed such appalling lack of judgement in the past, perhaps. If this were a single lapse of judgment, probably not. One question remains unanswered, however: What were those people thinking?

Mike McDaniel is a USAF veteran, classically trained musician, Japanese and European fencer, life-long athlete, firearm instructor, retired police officer and high school and college English teacher. His home blog is Stately McDaniel Manor.