BLANCHESTER — Blanchester High School Principal Rick Hosler’s attorney says Hosler should be allowed to resume his duties as principal as the district continues its investigation

“We can see no reason why Rick should be out of the classroom,” said John Concannon, Hosler’s Cincinnati-based attorney. “I would maintain that it’s nothing that makes anyone think that he is a danger to school, staff or students, and there’s no reason to remove him from the school except to humiliate him.”

The Blanchester Board of Education’s attorney, however, said the leave is to allow the district to investigate the complaints, not to punish him.

“The district put Mr. Hosler on administrative leave during the (course) of this investigation,” said David Lampe, an attorney with Bricker and Eckler, which represents the school board. “It’s not reflective of any type of wrongdoing necessarily on Mr. Hosler’s part.”

Hosler was placed on paid administrative leave Nov. 24, the same day a letter notifying Hosler of a report was placed in Hosler’s personnel file. That letter, and a February letter of reprimand describes Hosler as “unprofessional” and “inappropriate.”

Concannon took issue with those complaints, calling them “half-truths” and saying the initial investigation was either poor, or done to intentionally humiliate Hosler.

The letters’ allegations include that Hosler heckled students at a track meet, intimidated kitchen staff, criticized the juvenile court and social services agencies at a meet and greet with those organizations and had a “meltdown,” throwing things and shouting.

But, Concannon said, “The initial investigation (into the most recent, “meltdown,” incident) by the superintendent (Dean Lynch), was, at best, shoddy and, at worst, intentionally humiliating to Mr. Hosler.”

Lampe declined to comment on that statement, saying the board’s policy is to generally not speak publicly about personnel matters. He said Bricker and Eckler’s investigation will determine whether there’s merit to any allegations against Hosler.

Concannon, too, said he would investigate the allegations.

In addition to claiming that the complaints weren’t handled properly, Concannon said placing Hosler on administrative leave gets people to think he did “something terrible.”

“I would maintain that it’s nothing that makes anyone think that he is a danger to school, staff or students, and there’s no reason to remove him from the school except to humiliate him,” Concannon said.

Additionally, Concannon implied the incident was a personality conflict.

“It’s simple, the superintendent does not like Mr. Hosler,” he said, adding that Hosler wasn’t given an opportunity to respond to the allegations. “The superintendent apparently didn’t want to be confused by the facts.”

“That is a curious statement to make given the fact that I’m assuming Mr. Concannon hasn’t spoken to the witnesses,” Lampe said. “To make statements like that, I think, is inappropriate.”

Reach Nathan Kraatz at 937-382-2574, ext. 2510 or on Twitter @NathanKraatz.