State investigating misconduct complaint after Hazard homecoming ‘man pageant’
State education officials are investigating a complaint about last week’s homecoming activities at Hazard High School that included simulated lap dances for staff from young males, girls in Hooters t-shirts pretending to carry beer and students being paddled.
The Kentucky Department of Education has received a complaint of educator misconduct filed with the Education Professional Standards Board that has not yet resulted in an educator case. Therefore, the matter is preliminary in nature and exempt from disclosure under the Open Records Act, an EPSB statement said Monday.
Officials won’t say which educator is being investigated.
“The district cannot comment on the matter while it is under investigation at the state level,” Hazard Independent Superintendent Sondra Combs said of the incident that received national attention. Combs apologized for the incident at a schoolwide assembly last week and said that ‘fun trumped judgment.’
Hazard High Principal Donald “Happy” Mobelini, who was seen smiling in photographs of the lap dances and is also Hazard’s mayor, did not comment Monday.
Combs said district officials cannot comment on the matter while it is under investigation at the state level.
“However, the district took swift action on the matter and enacted new policies and procedures to strengthen district oversight of student activities for the future. We are proud of our long history of academic excellence and community service. As we have for many years, we will remain focused on our responsibility to prepare students for success now and in the future, “ Combs said Monday.
Kentucky Education Commissioner Jason Glass said that “the Kentucky Department of Education will fulfill its responsibility for investigation and support the EPSB in its determination.”
Gov. Andy Beshear has asked that the investigation and actions taken be made public.
Any action taken against an educator’s license is voted on by the EPSB in a public meeting. EPSB holds public meetings every other month, said state education department spokeswoman Toni Konz Tatman.
Following national reaction to the homecoming “man pageant” event, several residents of Hazard, an Appalachian Kentucky town of about 5,000, have rallied around Mobelini, saying that he is a good man who helps students and residents. But some parents and others have been critical of the incident.