KWES NewsWest 9 / Midland, Odessa, Big Spring, TX: newswest9.com | Students Say Former Singer's Behavior "Crazy" During Speech

Students Say Former Singer's Behavior "Crazy" During Speech

By Megan Moore
NewsChannel 10

Panhandle, Texas - A school assembly gone wrong has the town of Panhandle buzzing about what students of all grades were reportedly subjected to for two hours.

The buzz word among Panhandle students right now is "crazy."  That is how they describe a school assembly on Tuesday that was meant to keep them off drugs, but instead left them a little scared.

A senior who attended the assembly says Daron Norwood "wasn't ready at all and he just was saying all this crazy stuff and we just freaked out and he told us to bow our heads and he was yelling at us and stuff. It was kinda crazy."

Norwood, a former country music singer, says on his website he travels around the country as a motivational speaker.

But the student says instead, he "basically, he spent five minutes on drugs in an hour and 45 minute assembly."

The rest of the time, according to students, say was filled with a jumbled mix of Norwood shooting hoops, running around the gym, playing music, and shouting at students.

Another senior who was there, says "it was really random. He would stop and start talking for like 5 seconds, then play music again. It was just really weird."

So weird that it apparently included a story about Norwood's grandfather "screwing whores."  After a while, students say they started to get scared.

A third student, a senior, says she was concerned "when he started yelling at the kids, the principal, and the coaches, it kinda scared me for a minute. I thought, if someone pushes him any further, what's gonna happen?"

A teacher finally pulled the fire alarm to get students out of the gym. After that, police officers were also called to the school, and the chief says Norwood was cooperative but slow in packing up and leaving. They attribute his bizarre speech to some kind of mental problem.

School officials refused to comment on camera, but told us they are embarrassed and sorry for what happened. They plan on sending a note home with parents in the coming days. They also said Norwood came highly recommended and even spoke there six years ago and did a good job.

Another area school had Norwood speak last week; Adrian's high school principal also told us he did an excellent job.

On the heels of this incident, a Region 16 (which encompasses all 26 Panhandle counties) education official says area schools will be warned of what happened and if they had booked Norwood, to make their own judgment call.

As for getting Norwood's response, there is no contact information on his website and calls to school officials to get information were not returned.