LEXINGTON, KY — Following a public records investigation under the Kentucky Open Records Act (KORA), The Record 859 has obtained over 50 internal Fayette County Public Schools (FCPS) files, administrative emails, maintenance logs, and supervision rosters regarding daily operations at Frederick Douglass High School (FDHS).
While policies limiting hallway access and locking restrooms have sparked frustration among students and parents, internal records show these measures are a direct operational response to severe staffing shortages and widespread facility vandalism.
WHAT THE RECORDS SHOW:
* 100+ Plumbing Work Orders: Maintenance logs over a two-year period document extensive damage, including sinks repeatedly torn from classroom walls, toilet supply line handles removed, and drain clogs caused by foreign objects.
* Staffing Shortages Force Hallway Bans: Internal emails from school administrative deans explicitly state that hall pass freezes and hub closures were instituted to manage unsupervised hallways caused by uncovered substitute teacher slots.
* Restroom Escorts & Door Guards: Official duty rosters confirm classroom teachers are assigned to stand guard at restroom entrances—limiting entry to a small group of students at a time—while administrative escorts are required for individual student access during class time.
* We are also learning that this is not isolated just to FDHS as more parents have reached out regarding their children being unable to access restrooms during the school day.
PUBLIC TRANSPARENCY REPOSITORY:
In the interest of full public transparency, The Record 859 is publishing all raw records, work orders, and internal emails for community review.
📁 Access the full document drive here: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1x7A_-lKXL-wS8qYj56e0QhbkgLr8axGN
Note: FCPS administration was provided with an opportunity to comment prior to publication, but did not respond to multiple requests.
The Record 859 is an independent, grassroots investigative platform committed to factual, record-driven reporting across Central Kentucky.
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