LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — The attorney for Paul Laurence Dunbar Principal Marlon Ball filed a lawsuit Tuesday morning against Fayette County Board of Education, FCPS superintendent Dr. Demetrus Liggins, Chief School Leadership Officer of High Schools James McMillin, and FCPS Spokesperson Lisa Deffendall.
The lawsuit includes counts of false light, retaliation pursuant to KRS 344.280, breach of contract, defamation, intrusion upon seclusion, and punitive damages.
LEX 18 reached out to see if the district, Dr. Liggins, McMillin or Deffendall have a comment on the lawsuit or if anyone will be available for comment.
Deffendall responded and said, "We cannot comment on pending litigation."
Ball has been on administrative leave since November 2022, following the death of Dunbar's Athletic Director Jason Howell.
The next day, Deffendall sent a release reiterating the death of Howell before announcing Ball's suspension in the following paragraph of the same release. According to the release, Ball was being placed on leave because of "concerns raised by members of the Dunbar staff."
Last week, Lexington's NAACP chapter released a statement addressing allegations made by staff members at Dunbar who referred to Ball as a bully.
The NAACP continues to raise questions on this situation, including "whether the District’s email was the spark that began the rumors of unfairly tying the principal to the death of the athletic director."
The group continued to say "the act of placing the principal on administrative leave and the ensuing investigation of alleged misconduct should have been held in a more private and dignified manner."
Fayette County Coroner Gary Ginn investigated the death of Dunbar's athletic director in November 2022 as a suicide.
Ball was hired as principal in 2022.
