A principal at a suburban Cincinnati high school is under investigation for insubordination following his decision to allow a former student facing homelessness to attend classes despite the student is not enrolled, according to records.
Robert Burnside serves as the principal at Lakota East High School, located in Liberty Township, approximately 25 miles north of Cincinnati. In a pre-disciplinary meeting, district officials inquired of Burnside regarding his connection with a student facing homelessness, who has since been withdrawn from the district this academic year.
Concerns have emerged regarding the circumstances under which the student received lunches at the school, as well as the potential implications if the student were to sustain an injury on school property.
“Did you consider the liability of this since he was unenrolled?” one of the questions reads.
Burnside has chosen not to provide any comments regarding the issue at this moment.
Burnside has been put on paid administrative leave as of November 1, awaiting the outcome of an investigation. In the upcoming week, Superintendent Ashley Whitely informed district families regarding Burnside’s absence, stating that the district has “been investigating a concern that was brought to our attention.””The district expected to reach a resolution more quickly,” Whitely stated.
The district refrained from providing additional comments regarding the matter, noting that other administrators from Lakota East have been managing daily operations during Burnside’s absence.
Burnside faces allegations of insubordination, intentionally breaching the school board’s attendance policy and placing both himself and the district “in a potentially liable position,” as stated in a letter from Rob Kramer, the district’s executive director of human resources. The district issued a pre-disciplinary hearing notice to Burnside on November 5, outlining the charges against him.
The district released a compilation of inquiries posed during the pre-disciplinary hearing on November 7, which consistently highlight Burnside’s connection with a former student who faced homelessness. Burnside faced inquiries regarding his connection to the student, his ties to the student’s parents, and the circumstances under which the student accessed services at the school despite not being officially enrolled.
Burnside will continue to be on paid administrative leave for an unspecified duration, pending the conclusion of the investigation. Throughout this period, he will continue to receive his full salary and benefits; however, he is prohibited from being on school premises, attending district events, or engaging in communication with students or staff.