Dunbar staff “situated” for vote of no-confidence in principal following athletic director’s suicide

November 2, 2022

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Lexington, KY–The full staff of Fayette County’s Paul Laurence Dunbar High School is situated to move forward with a vote of no-confidence in Principal Marlon Ball, according to a Herald-Leader report. The move comes after Ball was placed on administrative leave following the death of Dunbar athletics director Jason Howell, which the coroner is investigating as a suicide.

“We’ve all struggled under Mr. Ball’s leadership, and after losing a beloved colleague, we can’t stay quiet. Harassing and bullying cannot be tolerated in the workplace,”
Sharessa Bentley-Crovo, teacher and member of Dunbar’s school council

Fayette County Public School released a statement that reads, in part:

We are aware of the concerns raised by members of the Dunbar staff. Reports of this nature are taken seriously and will be fully investigated. Per our normal human resources procedures, Dunbar Principal Marlon Ball has been placed on administrative leave. As with any personnel matter, we are unable to comment further.
FCPS Statement

The statement does not explain what the concerns were, but Bentley-Crovo told the Herald-Leader the full Dunbar staff was “situated” to move forward with the no-confidence vote. It is unclear if such a vote would have any practical ramifications, or if it would be purely symbolic, but either way, it would be a strong message from the school’s employees that they are dissatisfied with Mr. Ball’s leadership.

Two parents on the board also released a statement to the Herald-Leader:

As Parent Representatives of the PLD SBDM Council, we look forward to the District completing their investigation. We also look forward to sharing additional information regarding certain public comments made, when appropriate. Further, we are unaware of the full Council making any public statements at this time.
Melissa Rife and Brian Nurick, Dunbar parents, SDBM Council Members

The parents appear to be referring to this unverified Facebook post, alleged to have been made by Ball, which was posted on Reddit:

According to Principal Ball’s FCPS bio:

Marlon holds a bachelor’s degree in History from the University of Florida and a master’s degree in educational leadership from Nova Southeastern University. In his spare time, Mr. Ball enjoys watching Gator football on Saturdays, fishing, and spending time with family/friends.
Marlon Ball FCPS bio