LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Newly surfaced movies posted on social media present more Hazard High School skits during which college students acted provocatively as academics laughed and generally participated throughout the previous 4 years.
The movies had been shared with the Courier Journal, a part of the USA TODAY Community, Thursday after Hazard Independent Schools district announced Wednesday it had launched an investigation into this 12 months’s homecoming celebration that included a “Man Pageant” and led to photographs being posted on the college’s Fb web page of scholars giving lap dances of their undergarments.
That investigation ended with “applicable disciplinary motion,” in accordance with Superintendent Sondra Combs, who wouldn’t say who has been punished. Combs mentioned college students had been behind the “homecoming festivities,” and described the occasions as an remoted incident.
However the brand new movies obtained by the Courier Journal present related skits have been carried out beforehand.
Background:Kentucky high school staff members got lap dances from students, photos appear to show
One video, first posted on Instagram in October 2017 then shared once more in January 2018, exhibits one male scholar — wearing a bra, shorts and wig — grinding on two different male college students who sat in chairs in the midst of the health club, whereas a fourth scholar concurrently throws a wad of what appears like money into the air.
The background of the health club and the emblem on its ground are the identical because the photographs shared this week, and the video was posted by a former Hazard Excessive scholar.
One other video exhibits a male scholar in a protracted white costume and wig dancing to Madonna’s “Like a Virgin,” in the midst of the college health club. The coed repeatedly rolls round on the ground and crawls towards the gang.
Throughout the skit, the coed approaches Principal Donald “Glad” Mobelini and rubs his palms over Mobelini’s head and chest. Because the skit continues, the video exhibits Mobelini clapping his palms to the beat of the music.
It isn’t clear what 12 months the video was taken, although a number of college students and workers members had been carrying masks over their nostril and mouth, indicating it was throughout the coronavirus pandemic. Once more, the background of the health club and the emblem on its ground are the identical because the photographs shared this week.
In accordance with Tosha Lindon, a mom whose son attends Hazard Excessive, the “Man Pageant” has been a longstanding homecoming custom.
But, Combs described this 12 months’s celebration as the primary of its form.
“We attempt to foster creativity in our college students, however sadly, this time it was carried too far,” Combs mentioned in an emailed assertion Wednesday night.
The homecoming actions “all had been supposed to be enjoyable and good-natured nonetheless, the actions didn’t play out as supposed,” she mentioned Wednesday. “Whereas Homecoming is an annual custom, there has by no means been any difficulty raised previous to this 12 months.”
“On the finish of the day, the light-hearted exercise merely obtained out of hand, and for that, we apologize. Sooner or later, we are going to try to maintain the lighthearted, enjoyable nature of college actions with out the inappropriate habits,” Combs mentioned.
Combs and Hazard Impartial board members couldn’t be reached instantly for feedback on the extra movies.
Gov. Andy Beshear responded to the latest photographs throughout his Thursday press briefing, calling what occurred “completely unacceptable” and “inappropriate.”
The district and state management “must take applicable motion and be sure that this may by no means occur once more,” he mentioned.
Moreover, Beshear mentioned adults on the college had been rightfully criticized for letting it go on and district management ought to “ensure that we’re elevating our children proper about what’s and isn’t acceptable, particularly on the planet that we dwell in.”
The outcomes of the district’s investigation and what punishments are given ought to be made public, he added.
Frank Newberry, a father with two youngsters inside the district, mentioned he was “horrified,” after seeing the images from Tuesday.
“My drawback will not be with the youngsters — they’re youngsters, youngsters do goofy issues. My drawback is the adults and their response to it,” Newberry mentioned. “I count on youngsters to be youngsters. However, I count on the adults tasked with supervising them to indicate higher judgment than that.”
After viewing the movies, Kentucky Division of Schooling spokeswoman Toni Konz Tatman mentioned the division doesn’t get entangled in native district issues.
“KDE was made aware of what came about in Hazard Impartial Colleges yesterday morning and reached out to the superintendent. She knowledgeable us yesterday that the incident is underneath investigation,” Konz Tatman wrote.
Kentucky regulation requires superintendents to report any situations of educator misconduct, Konz Tatman continued.
Hazard is positioned in southeastern Kentucky, a couple of three-hour drive from Louisville and two hours from Lexington. The inhabitants is about 5,000, U.S. census information present.
Hazard Excessive is one in all three colleges that make up Hazard Impartial Colleges. It’s the solely highschool within the district and there are about 340 college students enrolled, in accordance with U.S. Information & World Report. There are 32 workers members listed on the college’s listing.
Contributing: Mary Ramsey, Chris Kenning and Billy Kobin
