Former KY superintendent sanctioned in teacher sexual misconduct case

A Kentucky licensing board has ruled a former school superintendent can no longer use his teaching certificate.

The agreed order between the Education Professional Standards Board and former Beechwood Independent School Superintendent Mike Stacy, who retired June 30 said he was investigated for failing to file a report to the Education Professional Standards Board as required by state law.

He was required to report that an educator employed by the district groomed and engaged in sexual contact with a student enrolled in the district, said the agreed order which the Herald-Leader obtained through the Kentucky Open Records Act.

A school district statement said in June 2024, the Education Professional Standards Board made Stacy aware that board officials believed he had failed to make a required report to the board about an alleged inappropriate relationship between a former Beechwood Independent teacher and a former Beechwood student.

“Dr. Stacy acknowledges he did not make a report. However, he maintains he did not reasonably believe he had information that would warrant such a report; therefore, the Agreed Order with the (Education Professional Standards Board) specifically reflects that Dr. Stacy maintains his innocence from any wrongdoing,” the district statement said.

The Beechwood school district is in Fort Mitchell in Northern Kentucky near Cincinnati.

Minutes from the Kentucky Education Professional Standards Board’s June 4 meeting said Stacy retired June 30 and cannot be employed in a certified position after July 1.

The minutes do not say that his license was revoked.

Instead, Stacy, under the agreed order with the board, cannot seek or accept employment in Kentucky that requires the use of his current teaching certificate.

The agreement also says he cannot renew his teaching certificate or apply for a new one. If he violates the agreement, his current certificate will be permanently revoked.

Attorney Jeremy Deters, representing the school district, provided the statement that said Stacy voluntarily entered into the order with the Kentucky Education Professional Standards Board on May 9.

The statement also provided the following details:

In March 2022, a Kentucky State Police detective came to Beechwood unannounced to interview a teacher about a former student who had graduated in 2020.

Up to that point, no report had ever been made to anyone associated with Beechwood regarding any allegations of potential misconduct.

District administrators cooperated and gave the police full access to school facilities and the teacher in question.

Following the interview with the teacher, no arrest was made.

The Kentucky State Police detective advised he would need to confer with the Kenton County Commonwealth’s Attorney. When Stacy asked for a copy of the student’s written statement, state police indicated it could not be provided.

To date, no criminal charges have been brought.

After the police detective left the school district, Stacy immediately met with the teacher who denied any misconduct. However, when Stacy said he would need to open an investigation, the teacher elected to resign.

The teacher never returned to the classroom or to Beechwood’s campus.

Superintendents are required to make reports to the Education Professional Standards Board within 30 days of having a reasonable belief that a teacher may have engaged in conduct that would warrant consideration for revoking a teacher’s teaching certificate, the district statement said.

Stacy maintains when he and the board attorney did not receive any information from state police or the Kenton County Commonwealth’s Attorney that the teacher had engaged in criminal misconduct, he did not reasonably believe he had information that would warrant such a report, the statement said.

“Beechwood does not condone employee misconduct, and Dr. Stacy never attempted to cover up or hide any alleged inappropriate behavior by the teacher in question,” the statement said.

Neither Stacy nor the boarding attorney ever received any report from the state police or the Commonwealth Attorney, according to the statement.

Stacy has been in public education for 28 years and has never previously been accused of any misconduct, the statement said.

Sexual misconduct allegations against Kentucky teachers is a continuing problem that superintendents, under state law, have to report.

A September 2022 investigation by the Herald-Leader highlighted the problem of teacher sexual misconduct in Kentucky. The newspaper obtained 194 cases of teachers who voluntarily surrendered or had their license revoked or suspended from 2016 to 2021.

Of those, 118 — 61% — lost their license due to sexual misconduct.

This story was originally published July 2, 2025 at 4:46 PM.