Suspended Dunbar principal’s contract terminated. Investigation could be shielded.

Lexington principal Marlon Ball, on administrative leave since November under unusual circumstances, has been notified that his contract as leader of Paul Laurence Dunbar High School will not be renewed.

“Your employment with the Fayette County Public Schools will be considered terminated at the end of your current contract period,” Superintendent Demetrus Liggins said in a May 1 letter to Ball.

The letter gives no reason for the non-renewal and termination but indicates with a check mark that Ball is eligible for rehire. The contract ends June 30.

“If he is free to reapply to Fayette County, it’s unfair to ruin any prospect of other employment by keeping him under an alleged administrative investigation,” Ball’s attorney Dale Golden told the Herald-Leader on Sunday.

“This is the time of year employment decisions are being made by school districts across the nation,” Golden said. “Mr. Ball is unemployable because of the alleged administrative investigation he is under. An alleged investigation that has lasted more than six months.”

“Mr. Ball has an interest in showing potential employers that he is eligible for rehire. The prospect of rehire is inconsistent with any wrongdoing on his part, “said Golden.

Ball has filed a lawsuit against the school district, alleging unfair treatment and retaliation.

In response to the termination of Ball’s contract, Fayette schools’ Director of Communications Katie Williams said Sunday, “We are unable to comment on personnel matters.”

Ball’s lawsuit claims district officials’ statements to the media following former Dunbar Athletic Director Jason Howell’s death, which has been investigated as a suicide, created a causal link to a tragic situation. The district announced Ball’s administrative leave in a statement mourning Howell.

The school district’s response said statements made about Ball were “not defamatory, slanderous or libelous.” The reply filed into court records said he had suffered no damage or injury to his reputation.

The document which addressed Ball’s allegations about his extended leave was the district’s answer to an amended lawsuit filed by Golden. It alleged Ball was “maliciously” placed on administrative leave.

A May 3 order signed by both sides in the court case says that certain sensitive documents that Ball is requesting be produced by the school district can be marked confidential.

That could include personnel investigations; documents, data, and information from confidential tiplines, sensitive and personal information about an employee’s death; information from closed session discussions or principal searches and records protected by law, the order said.

Williams on Sunday said district officials could not comment on pending litigation.

This story was originally published May 7, 2023 at 12:22 PM.