A Lake Worth High School principal finds himself in a bit of hot water that has cost him thousands of dollars. George Lockhart allegedly asked teachers at his school to do his son’s algebra homework. Now, Lockhart will be receiving a $21,000 pay-cut from the school.
The Palm Beach Post reports that Lockhart allegedly asked three teachers to do his son’s math homework two years ago. He originally denied the allegations to investigators, but later changed his story, telling them he was looking for someone to better tutor his son. One teacher admitted to investigators that he did the boy’s homework out of respect for Lockhart.
Lorkhart will receive a $21,000 pay cut and a demotion.
A probe was conducted into the Lake Worth “homework scandal.” Schools Superintendent Robert Avossa said that that Lockhart “misused (his) position and authority” and “compromised the integrity of the district.”
“Mr. Lockhart made some real mistakes in decision-making and lapses of judgment with his leadership on campus,” Avossa said. “But I always have to take the totality of the matter and press the bad decisions against a 27-year run where he was contributing in a very positive way.”
Ultimately, Avossa believes that the good Lockhart has done outweighs his “bad decision.”
Lockhart’s attorney, Fred Schwartz, referred to Avossa as being “very fair.”
As a side note, this dude allegedly charged students $1 to attend pep rallies. He also allegedly pressured teachers to change the grades of students. Definitely not a good look for a principal if the allegations hold weight.
Lockhart earned $96,000 last year from the tax payers. He has been demoted from principal to a manager at school district’s charter school office.
Principal Lockhart allegedly got involved with the grades of several students. He’d allegedly question teachers about these grades, sometimes ordering the teacher to change a mark entirely.
Frederick Harlowe, a social studies teacher, was told to change a B grade to an A. The student had an all-A report card besides that one blemish, and Principal Lockhart allegedly wanted Harlowe to make the report card spotless.
“I was told to go into the principal’s office, where the report card was on the table,” Harlowe told investigators. “I changed the grade to an A.”
