LEBANON, Ind. — The principal at Lebanon High School has come under fire in recent days after a secretary said she was fired and accused him of emotionally abusing staff and students.
The controversy was sparked by a Facebook post from Jocelyn Hiatt who was working as an attendance secretary at the school. On Friday, Hiatt said she was fired after standing up to principal Frank Meyer after “being emotionally abused by him for almost 2 years.”
Hiatt accused Meyer of also verbally abusing students.
Her apparent firing sparked protests among some students at the school. Videos show a group of students huddled in a hallway chanting about wanting change.
One of those students was Gabe Kellogg.
“Some people looked up to her as like a mother figure and all that. Her and her husband are very involved at the school,” Kellogg said. “Everyone really loves this woman and it’s enraging to see this happen to such good people.”
Kellogg said he too had a bad interaction with Meyer when he first arrived at the school in 2023.
“He made some derogatory comment and I said something and then he made a very unprofessional statement about pushing me down a flight of stairs,” Kellogg said.
According to his biography on the school’s website, before arriving in Lebanon, Meyer was the principal at Tecumseh Junior High School in Lafayette.
A former teacher there, Lauren Kibler, worked under Meyer and said his reputation and behavior were the same.
“We had a staff meeting and another teacher brought up some concerns that she had and he said, ‘Someone’s always going to find something to bitch about,’” Kibler recalled. “I raised my hand and I very politely said, ‘I don’t think it’s fair to refer to our concerns as bitching.’ He began screaming at me in the staff meeting and told me if I had a problem I could talk to him about it outside.”
Kibler said she left that meeting in tears and almost quit her job. When she discovered that Meyer had landed at Lebanon High School she revealed that she considered reaching out to their human resources department to warn them.
“I now regret not doing that because I regret the fact that he acted the same way at his next school,” Kibler said. “He doesn’t treat students well. He doesn’t treat staff well. It’s just unfair the way that he treats people.”
The protests and online outrage made so much noise that the school somewhat addressed it in a letter to students and parents. In the letter, obtained by FOX 59/CBS 4, the school’s administration said it was aware of the comments of a former employee.
“We ask all to understand that we may not provide information regarding current or former employees confidential personal information,” the letter reads. “Therefore, it is also inappropriate for school officials to comment or react to rumors and comments from social media.”
The letter also asked that instead of protesting, students meet with school counselors or administrators to express their concerns.
The administration said derogatory comments made about school personnel were not helpful and lacked the “full context” of the situation.
While there are quite a few people speaking out against Meyer, he does appear to have some support. In a video posted just last month on the school’s social media accounts, several students and teachers spoke about what they liked about him.
“I like Mr. Meyer because I’ve known him from two different schools and also he helps encourage me to get involved with things I like to do,” one student said.
Kellogg said another protest is planned for Wednesday before students go on Thanksgiving break.
Hiatt did not respond to interview requests and said in a Facebook post that she was reaching out to attorneys.
Lebanon High School declined to comment on the story. FOX 59/CBS4 reached out to each member of the Lebanon Community School Corporation board and has yet to hear back.
