Principal with Guns on School Lot Dismissed

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Principal with Guns on School Lot Dismissed

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Posted: 2:01 PM Apr 18, 2008
Last Updated: 2:01 PM Apr 18, 2008
Reporter: Associated Press
Email Address: news@wsaz.com

12 comments

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ELIZABETH, W.Va. (AP) - A Wirt County Middle School principal who left two hunting rifles in a vehicle parked on school property has been terminated.

The county school board voted 3-2 late Wednesday to dismiss James D. Hoover.

Superintendent Daniel Metz declined to comment on the decision.

Hoover was charged in October with two counts of unlawfully and feloniously possessing deadly weapons on educational facilities.

But Wirt County Circuit Court Judge Robert Waters later dismissed the charges, saying the case fell under an exception in state law involving unloaded weapons in locked vehicles.

Hoover told Division of Natural Resources officials investigating a hunting accident that a friend asked him to retrieve the weapons from the woods. Hoover wasn't involved in the accident.

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Comments are posted from viewers like you and do not always reflect the views of this station.

Posted by: charles sawders on Apr 22, 2008 at 07:01 PM
Let's see here, the principal did a responsible thing in removing the rifles from access to anyone who might stumble upon them. He was a threat to no one. He left them in his car, while he went to work. He violated no laws so of course he needed to be fired. Am I alone in thinking the school board is staffed by idiots?

Posted by: To Isaac on Apr 21, 2008 at 08:47 PM
Maybe you just need to read and enlighten yourself to the facts before you just decide to attempt to think. You may access the sworn testimonies from the incident or you may look on WSAZ as to the fact that the "friend" has been charged in the shooting. Their is no 'Chairman' involved with this. You truly are a misguided, uninformed, conspiracy driven rambler. From your post I can understand why you do not comprehend the issue with regards to policies and/or regulations. Try not to hurt your brain and leave the tough decisions to the people who actually know how to read and you may want to research the issue before you comment on public blogs.

Posted by: Wendy Weinbaum on Apr 21, 2008 at 01:31 PM
Wirt County Middle School owes an apology, a job reinstatement, and BACK PAY to Principal James D. Hoover. He did NOTHING wrong. The School "Board" is hysterically overreacting like a bunch of old women, and is VIOLATING the 2nd Amendment to the US Constitution!

Posted by: lincmercguy on Apr 21, 2008 at 09:51 AM
I remember only ten years ago when it was common for high school students to have rifles and ammo in their trunks because they were going hunting after school. Needless to say, there weren't any school shootings at those schools.

Posted by: Isaac on Apr 19, 2008 at 05:15 AM
This guy should not have been let go for any reason after a Judge cleared him ! Whoever this board breaking policy rambler is she doesn't under stand good old fashion revenge which this is clearly!

Posted by: Isaac on Apr 19, 2008 at 05:12 AM
To , "He broke board policy " You can say what you want about things he signed or legal mumbo jumbo , The facts are he was helping out a person who was in a hunting accident !! I don't know this guy or any of these people but I do know revenge and "out to get " when I see it , this principal is not liked by this school board !! The chairman probably wants to hire his brothers sisters cousin so they had to get rid of mr Hoover ! You would have to be blind or stupid not to see that.

Posted by: wiseguy on Apr 18, 2008 at 04:20 PM
He should of told his friend that he can't do that.Or he could of left the weapons at home then return the guns to the owner.

Posted by: To Libby on Apr 18, 2008 at 03:38 PM
He broke board policy. In case you don't know what that means, it is the contracts that you sign when you accept employment from an organization, agency, or private employer. He signed a contract - he broke the policies that are currently in effect - he lost his job. BTW, MANY people get away with many crimes in our court system - that does not make them innocent. Mr. Metz spent most of the past four years defending the actions of this principal on many occasions. If he had responded any other way with this issue he would have been in violation of his contract. MR. Hoover did this to himself. If Mr. Metz had it out for him he could have brought him before the board numerous times before. I know this for a fact because I went to Mr. Metz with concerns to Mr. Hoover's actions as a principal and he defended the man. I do not always agree with Mr. Metz in his decisions but he did what he had to do. Otherwise he would have been in violation of the contract that he must adhere to.

Posted by: BLFRALEY on Apr 18, 2008 at 03:20 PM
dID HE HAVE AMMUNITION IN THE CAR OR ON HIM. iF NOT WHAT WAS THE ISSUE?

Posted by: Anonymous on Apr 18, 2008 at 03:09 PM
this is a crock.

Posted by: Libby on Apr 18, 2008 at 02:39 PM
This is crazy! If he was covered by the exception in state law, why was he still fired? Sounds to me like Mr. Metz just had it out for Mr. Hoover.

Posted by: Anon. on Apr 18, 2008 at 02:16 PM
You know if that would have been a student they would have taken drastic measures too so I think it's only fair.

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