Fayette County superintendent files ‘whistleblower’ complaint after being put on leave

Fayette County Superintendent Demetrus Liggins on Thursday filed a formal whistleblower-reprisal and education-accountability complaint with the Kentucky Office of Education Accountability, alleging that the Fayette County Board of Education has reversed the true roles in an ongoing controversy about Liggins’ employment.

Liggins has been on leave for about two weeks. He was placed on leave after confusion over whether he was going to resign from his job. Fayette County Public Schools has been mired in controversy over its financial situation in recent years, with district officials recently saying FCPS has misstated its finances since at least 2008 and has much less money than previously thought.

Liggins argues he shed light on problems and is being retaliated against.

“Dr. Liggins was the public-funds whistleblower in early June, while the Board retaliated against and investigated this diligent official who demanded accountability,” said a Thursday news release from Liggins’ attorney, Amos Jones.

The Kentucky OEA investigates alleged violations of Kentucky school law. Mike Wynn, a spokesperson for OEA said Thursday, “OEA does not confirm or deny the receipt of complaints.”

Jones and Liggins had previously demanded that Liggins get his job back, and gave the school board a deadline of Wednesday to reinstate him. The Fayette County school board’s attorneys said Wednesday the board “will not rescind its actions” in placing Liggins on paid administrative leave while a legal firm conducts a review of his employment.

Liggins had filed a complaint through his lawyer, Jones, suggesting the school board violated Kentucky’s Open Meetings Act when it voted to put him on leave June 10. The school board’s attorneys said in a response Wednesday night that they had not violated Kentucky’s Open Meeting Act.

The board hired the law firm of VanAntwerp Attorneys to conduct a review of information regarding Liggins’ employment and appointed FCPS Assistant Superintendent Bill Bradford as acting superintendent, effective immediately, pending resolution of the review to be conducted by VanAntwerp, according to officials. The board also stated Thursday it was not entertaining any motions for a separation agreement, and there is no suggestion that any substantive discussions about the terms of any such proposed agreement occurred.

FCPS officials have not said why the district has launched an investigation into Liggins’ employment. However, Liggins’ leave came days after state Rep. Adrielle Camuel, an administrative assistant in the school district, made a complaint to the board that Liggins slipped a note under Camuel’s office door that implied a threat of legal action for criticizing his leadership.

Liggins was captured on video slipping a piece of paper under Camuel’s office door. Camuel’s lawyer says that paper was a printed email purporting to be from a law firm advising Liggins may have been defamed by critics. Liggins has said he never wrote the email or slipped it under Camuel’s door.

Camuel, a Democrat who represents part of Lexington in Frankfort, was publicly critical of Liggins after the superintendent announced job cuts to deal with the district’s yearlong budget problems. Camuel’s lawyer said she immediately questioned the authenticity of the email, which was obtained by the Herald-Leader. The firm that purportedly sent it — Kaplan, Johnson, Abate and Bird — told the Herald-Leader it did not write the message and has never worked with Liggins.

Liggins’ contract runs through 2029. He was hired in 2021.

District spokesperson Miranda Scully issued a response on behalf of the school board Thursday afternoon that said, ““The Fayette County Board of Education remains focused on serving our students and maintaining stability across the District.”

“The Board will continue to follow the law and make decisions based on facts and the best interests of our schools and community. Because these matters involve personnel issues, potential legal considerations, and ongoing Board processes, it would be inappropriate to litigate them in the press,” the statement said.

“Our focus remains on our students, our educators, and the successful, stable operation of Fayette County Public Schools..”

This is a developing story and will be updated.

This story was originally published June 25, 2026 at 3:10 PM.