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Wood BOE suspends PHS principal; vote came after second public apology

Photo by Michael Erb Parkersburg High School Principal Kenny DeMoss addresses the Wood County Board of Education Tuesday, apologizing for plagiarizing a speech at the school’s May 23 graduation ceremony. The board voted 4-1 to suspend DeMoss for five days without pay.

PARKERSBURG – A principal accused of plagiarizing a graduation speech was suspended tonight after giving a public apology to the Wood County Board of Education.

The board voted 4-1 to suspend Parkersburg High School Principal Kenny DeMoss for five days without pay. Board member Debbie Hendershot was the lone vote against.

The vote came after a 30-minute executive session and after DeMoss addressed the board during the public comment portion of Tuesday’s meeting.

DeMoss read a prepared statement apologizing for his May 23 speech at the PHS graduation ceremony which copied heavily from a 2013 speech by actor Aston Kutcher.

“My intent in speaking tonight is to say I’m sorry,” DeMoss said. “I am a proud graduate of PHS, have coached for 25 years and have been an administrator for seven years in this community. I would never purposefully bring shame to myself, my family, my school, our school system, or our community. I made a mistake.”

For more information, read Wednesday’s edition of the Parkersburg News and Sentinel.

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