Kentucky High School Investigated After Students Perform Lap Dances At Homecoming Event
This is not to be condoned.
Facebook Headlines read “Principal Receives Lapdance From a student” raises quite a few eyebrows, doesn’t it? Well, unfortunately for Hazard High School the headlines are true, with pictures to prove it.
Photos surfaced of Principal Donald Mobelini receiving a lap dance from a student during the school’s homecoming festivities.
The Kentucky High School hosted a drag pageant that involved the controversial dances.
During spirit week at Hazard High school, Tuesday, Oct 26 was “Man Pageant” or “Costume Day”.
Photos of that event were posted on the school’s athletic department Facebook page (which have now been deleted), showcased teenagers scantily clad and giving out lap dances to members of teh schools staff including Donald “Happy” Mobelini who is not only the principal but the mayor of Perry County city.
Many people were, to say the least, shocked and confused by the display including Nema Brewer, co-founder of education advocacy group KY 120 United who tweeted, “Um. Exactly what is going on here, y’all? C’mon Hazard. Get it together.”
The thread continues with other users voicing their disgust. Some were set on trying to decipher what was actually going on as one user tweeted, “Is that a school assembly?
Others chiming in, “What was the purpose?”
Yes, what was the purpose Hazard High School?
One user even tweeted the governor, "Governor Beshear this needs to be addressed immediately. I am so disgusted by this behavior and these are our children. This should be a crime, and if it isn’t, legislative action needs to be taken. Lord have mercy".
Not only were there photos of school faculty and staff receiving lap dances, but also photos of female students dressed up in "Hooters" outfits and students and staff appearing to “paddle” each other.
Many people were up in arms about the whole thing. One Reddit user posted the story on the site that went viral with well over 450 comments and over 7.7K upvotes. The thread has been labeled as inappropriate.
Some defended Hazard High School's lap dances.
However, not everyone thought it was inappropriate. They thought it was funny.
A tweet defending the event said, "This is so incredibly funny! This is what happens when you remove certain things from school. In the teacher's defense, they are all laughing their a**es off. I believe this is just an example of people in media trying to blow something up into something it’s not"
Another user said, "I think this is great! This is what school USED to be. FUN! This is just a bunch of kids having fun and being silly. This is brilliant and I love that the teachers were having just as much fun. This is not shameful, it's wonderful!!!!"
One board member for Hazard Independent Schools, Aster Sizemore, spoke on Mobelinie’s character as being strict, "Normally, the principal, Happy Mobelini, is pretty dad-gum strict, so that surprises me unless someone pulled something out of a hat. A kid comes to school with a short dress, you know, he makes them go home and change."
However, Sizemore said that he was at the school, but conveniently, not the event.
The incident was investigated and disciplinary action was taken.
The superintendent of Hazard Independent Schools Sondra Combs addressed the issue once photos were surfaced saying, “The district has a tradition of excellence and academics and everything we do, but the incident is being investigated and once the investigation is complete, appropriate action will be taken.”
We don’t get to know who was punished or what that punishment was.
Combs later released a statement that a punishment or two were handed out but was not eligible to say what and to who, categorizing it as a “personal matter”.
Combs also addressed how the school would proceed, guaranteeing that a “student activity committee would be formed to review all student-led activities" and that “all staff would undergo further training on policies and procedures.”
That’s great. But how and why did this event take place? A question someone needs to answer.
The Board chairman has also stated that not one parent has come to them with a complaint about the events or photos.
Deauna Nunes is an assistant editor who covers love and relationships, lifestyle, and news & entertainment topics for YourTango. She's been published by Emerson College's literary magazine Generic. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram.