COURT UPHOLDS WIRT PRINCIPAL'S FIRING

(03/13/2010)
Since the Wirt County school system fired middle school principal James D. Hoover in 2007 for bringing firearms on to school property, Hoover has filed several complaints regarding their action.

A Kanawha County court has upheld Hoover's firing, saying "Clearly the petitioner's (Hoover) actions were in defiance of the clear authority of the reasonable policies of both Wirt County Schools and the WV Board of Education."

The gun incident involved Hoover's friend Tony McCloy who accidentally shot a teenage boy while hunting. Hoover went to the scene of the accident removing the weapons and bringing them onto school property. McCloy a convicted felon, was the shooter.

Later,records indicate Hoover returned the firearms to the scene of the shooting.

An administrative law judge said Hoover lacked remorse or any understanding that his termination was the direct result of his own action and judgment.

Court statements indicated Hoover had been disciplined for problems by other county school systems, including Calhoun, prior to being hired in Wirt County.

To read earlier stories use the keyword Hoover on the Herald's search function.