[Jarons]

WESTWOOD — Former Fairview High School Principal Garry McPeek said he voluntarily reported the ineligibility of a high school football player the day he learned of it.

No one in the district knew of the player’s ineligibility until that day, and there was no effort to hide what was a violation of Kentucky High School Athletic Association rules, McPeek said.

He called the violation an oversight, but accepted full responsibility for it. “In the end, I accept responsibility, because I missed it. No one else needs to accept responsibility. Bottom line is, a mistake was made. It was an oversight, and I missed it. It's my fault.”

McPeek said he discovered the violation Oct. 21 while reviewing student records of seniors for state academic accountability purposes. While checking transcripts, he learned the student had been enrolled as a sophomore but should have entered Fairview as a junior.

The student, who McPeek wouldn’t name but who The Independent has learned is Chris Perkins, enrolled at Fairview March 28, 2012, according to McPeek. Previously he had been at Paul Blazer High for two years and subsequently received schooling at the Boyd County Regional Detention Center for eight months, McPeek said.

McPeek said he immediately called Superintendent Bill Musick and asked him to report it to the KHSAA, and drafted the letter to the association detailing the violation and calling for self-imposed penalties.

McPeek blamed himself for what he called an oversight. “I never read the transcript. I missed it. It was my fault.”

Perkins enrolled at Fairview at the encouragement of a court-designated worker, McPeek said. “We do that all the time to give kids a fresh start. We’re a school of second chances,” he said.

Administrators hoped a fresh start at Fairview and the chance to play sports as an outlet would keep Perkins involved and lead to his graduation, he said.

McPeek met with Musick Oct. 24 and the meeting led to McPeek resigning as principal and athletic director and being reassigned as a physical education teacher at Fairview Elementary.

McPeek declined to say whether Musick or the school board requested his resignation. “I’m not going to throw them under the bus. I’m going to take the high road,” he said.

Resignation was a fair outcome, he said.

Musick did not return calls Friday to his office and cell phones.

MIKE JAMES can be reached at [email=mjames@dailyindependent.com]mjames@dailyindependent.com[/email]

This is why principals should not be coaches so "oversights" like this will not happen.