Lexington Catholic board forms diversity, ethics committee
The Lexington Catholic High School Board of Trustees issued a statement Friday following weeks of allegations of racial harassment and discrimination that culminated with Lexington-Fayette NAACP officials asking that parents attend three meetings on “white privilege, racial hatred” and racial bias.
The statement said the trustees do not “in any manner, shape or form condone harassment — racial, sexual or other bullying tactics that could be considered threatening. Our position will continue to be to respond quickly and judiciously if events such as the one recently reported ever occur.”
The statement said the board will work with the school administration to examine policies and improve the culture of the high school.
At Thursday’s regularly scheduled board meeting, the board authorized the formation of a School Life and Culture Committee that will oversee the diversity, ethics, and cultural competency initiatives within the school.
The board also pledged its support for Catholic Diocese of Lexington Bishop John Stowe and the internal investigation he has authorized.
“We recognize that the media’s coverage presents an image that is not the reality for the majority of the families and students at Lexington Catholic High School. However, we acknowledge there is much to learn from these events, and we believe that as a community, we will strengthen our resolve to educate the whole child — mind, spirit and body,” the statement said.
The statement did not mention the NAACP’s request that parents attend sessions on white privilege, or that Lexington Catholic students take a semester-long course on racial history.
NAACP officials also said that Lexington Catholic High’s athletic program should undergo an audit or investigation with terms agreed to by the NAACP.
William Saunders, president of the Lexington-Fayette NAACP, and the group’s vice president, Adrian Wallace, told the Herald-Leader that they have asked for the resignation of the school’s principal, Sally Stevens, and its president, Steve Angelucci.
Amos Jones, a Washington, D.C., civil rights attorney who is originally from Lexington, has said he is now representing five former Lexington Catholic students who allege separate incidents, including harassment and assault.
Jones has been representing a student who said he was harassed by teammates on Lexington Catholic’s football team. Investigators said the harassment was racially motivated, and a 17-year-old boy was charged April 7 with harassing communications and third-degree terroristic threatening. In that case, The Key Newsjournal reported that Denisha Vinegar found threatening messages to her son on his computer.
Jones told the Herald-Leader that the second case involved a black student who withdrew from the school after a string of incidents that culminated in the student being pushed in the cafeteria by a white student. The third student retaining Jones is a white girl who sought representation because of the school’s handling of her allegation that she was sexually assaulted by two white students at a chaperoned off-campus event, he said. The last two people who retained Jones, he said, were white female students who said they were sexually harassed.
Valarie Honeycutt Spears: 859-231-3409, @vhspears
Full statement by Lexington Catholic’s board of trustees
The Lexington Catholic High School Board of Trustees does not in any manner, shape or form condone harassment—racial, sexual or other bullying tactics that could be considered threatening. Our position will continue to be to respond quickly and judiciously if events such as the one recently reported ever occur.
The Board will work in partnership with the school administration to examine current policies and to further improve the culture of Lexington Catholic High School. At Thursday’s meeting the Board authorized the formation of a School Life and Culture Committee that will oversee the diversity, ethics, and cultural competency initiatives within the school. We also anticipate reaching out to our alumni network and parents so we all understand the mission and purpose of the committee as it relates to our students. This work will begin immediately.
The Board also pledged its support for Bishop John Stowe and the internal investigation he has authorized regarding the incident.
Lexington Catholic High School offers a nurturing and enriching environment that has produced countless students who have succeeded in their academic, religious and professional pursuits. It is a proud tradition that we hold dear. We cannot and will not allow that environment to be compromised.
We recognize that the media’s coverage presents an image that is not the reality for the majority of the families and students at Lexington Catholic High School. However, we acknowledge there is much to learn from these events, and we believe that as a community, we will strengthen our resolve to educate the whole child — mind, spirit and body.”
We, Lexington Catholic High School, serve as an integral part of the mission of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Lexington. We serve students of all faith traditions by providing a high quality Catholic college preparatory education that fosters the spiritual ideals and moral values of the Gospel. In this dynamic faith community, we nurture the development of the mind, spirit, and body of our students.
This story was originally published April 22, 2016 at 8:35 PM with the headline "Lexington Catholic board forms diversity, ethics committee."