Lakota Schools officials announced on Friday that Rob Burnside, the principle of Lakota East High School, had resigned after the school system looked into allegations of wrongdoing. Burnside, who had been the head of Lakota East High School since 2021, was in the news for reportedly permitting a kid who was no longer registered in the district to attend classes at the Cincinnati suburbia school. After Burnside was placed on paid administrative leave on November 4 in response to a concern expressed to district authorities, the investigation got underway.
Burnside was charged by the district for willfully breaking our board policy regarding student attendance, putting yourself, your team, and the district in a potentially liable position, and insubordination/failure to follow your supervisor’s instructions, according to information from his personnel file that was recently obtained and reported by WCPO. Inquiries at the pre-disciplinary hearings focused on the attendance of an unidentified student at Lakota East during the 2023–2024 academic year, who was supposedly homeless and ineligible under residency regulations. These discussions brought up concerns regarding the school’s responsibility in the event that a homeless or unenrolled student experiences problems on campus or needs to be disciplined.
Burnside received widespread support as a result of the incident, especially from past pupils, and it garnered national notice. According to an interview obtained by FOX19, one person responded on The Enquirer’s Instagram post, “Mr. Burnside is hands down the best principal I ever had through schooling at Lakota.” Another former student said that it would be a “severe injustice” if there was not unqualified admiration for his activities. “I am grateful beyond measure for the outpouring of support that I have received and I certainly have a desire to take the lessons from this period in time and to return to become an even better leader in the future,” Burnside said in his resignation statement, echoing FOX19’s sentiments.
“It has been truly an honor to have the opportunity to be the principal of Lakota East High School, and I will always be grateful for the opportunity that the Lakota Local School District has given me to lead in this capacity,” Burnside stated in his letter of resignation, as reported onLocal12. Despite his decision to resign, Burnside will continue to hold his title until January 30 in order to combine unpaid leave for retirement credit with administrative and sick leave, according to his lawyer.
In light of this developing story, it is important to acknowledge the protections provided by the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act of 1987, which mandates that homeless students must have access to free public education and cannot be denied enrollment due to their circumstances. Even if these students don’t have the usual enrollment records, such a permanent address, this federal law guarantees that schools must make accommodations for them. The Ohio Department of Education and Workforce reports that during the 2022–2023 school year, over 24,000 kids in the state were homeless. However, as of last Friday afternoon, the school district had not released any additional information, so it is still unclear how the unenrolled youngster and Lakota’s compliance with this legislation are related.
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