I gave up being surprised about antics and behavior that occurs within the public school system long ago. However, a recent incident out of Hazard Kentucky left me speechless.
According to multiple news outlets, Hazard High School held an event called “Man Week” during homecoming. The homecoming activities featured scantily clad students dressed in lingerie and bikinis dancing seductively on the laps of school faculty, one of whom is the mayor of the small town where the school is located.
Other students dressed in Hooters’ signature short shorts and tight tank tops, carrying what looked like mugs of beer.
(In the news stories I saw, there was no suggestion that alcohol was in any of those mugs.)
The entire event was posted on the Hazard High School Athletics Facebook page until public scrutiny resulted in the school taking it down.
The district superintendent ordered an investigation of the incident and assures the public that appropriate measures will be taking place upon the culmination the investigation.
So many things about this story alarms me I don’t know where to begin. Where in anyone’s mind would it be okay for students to walk anywhere at a high school in lingerie and bikinis? Then, under what circumstance would that be appropriate in front of faculty members? Let’s push it a little further. On what planet would anyone consider a student giving a faculty member a lap dance remotely appropriate?
If that weren’t enough, there was at least one parent who defended this deplorable activity. She referred to the inappropriate shenanigans as “teenagers being teenagers” during homecoming week.
I refer to this lunacy as a clear example of how society and public education have devolved to the lowest rung on the ladder. I don’t imagine this level of ridiculous is occurring widespread in our nation’s public schools, however it is happening in Hazard Kentucky and that is one incident too many.
I have lost count of how many wrong messages this incident sends to our students, parents and communities. Who are the education leaders who didn’t see a flaming red flag when this idea was proposed? As educators we have to be able to think several steps ahead when planning activities that involve students. To think students giving faculty lap dances is okay speaks very poorly of the leadership on that campus, in central office and over the district.
This is a very sad and alarming look at the decline of public education in America. Rather than pouring that time and effort into much needed literacy support, the resources were used to turn the gym into a strip club. I’m sure the people of Hazard, Kentucky are proud.
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