Perry County Public Schools under investigation over staff misconduct

Perry County Public Schools was named in a federal sexual abuse reporting probe tied to staff-on-student sexual misconduct, placing the district among 20 school systems nationwide under directed Office for Civil Rights investigations. The federal Education Department opened the initiative after a July 10 “Dear Colleague” letter focused on adult sexual misconduct in K-12 schools, and the agency says inclusion on its public investigations list means a case has begun, not that it has reached a conclusion.

For Perry County families, the central question is how the district handled any complaint, who knew about it, and whether students were protected while the matter was reviewed. The current record does not identify any accused employee, any student involved, or any campus at the center of the review, but the scope of the federal inquiry reaches beyond one person and into district policies, reporting lines and supervision practices. A separate report said Perry Schools were cooperating with the Education Department investigation into how sexual misconduct cases were reported and handled.

Superintendent Kent Campbell appeared in coverage of the probe, underscoring that district leadership is now at the center of public concern in Perry County. So far, no public detail has been released about whether any staff member was removed from contact with students, placed on leave or disciplined while the investigation proceeds. That leaves parents looking for immediate answers about reporting channels, mandatory reporting procedures and what school officials did once allegations surfaced.

The district’s 2025-2026 Student Code of Conduct and Behavior Handbook says it is updated and approved each year after review for necessary changes and compliance with Board of Education policy, and that every student receives a copy of the code. Those are the kinds of basic safeguards families expect to work when misconduct is alleged: clear rules, prompt reporting and documented response. The federal probe now puts those safeguards under review in Perry County.

The district’s legal history also includes a 2023 federal case involving the Perry County Board of Education and a minor identified as S.A. by and through her parents, W.A. and L.A. That background adds to the pressure on district leaders to show how complaints are handled, how staff are monitored and how students are protected when allegations involve adults in positions of authority.