The News•Progress received the following press release from Arthur-Lovington Superintendent Travis Wilson Friday afternoon following ALHS principal Brian Hatfield resigning Wednesday:

"The Arthur-Lovington District administration and board of education were very saddened to learn of the events that have taken place recently regarding our former high school principal.  The matter has been resolved quite quickly and with all deliberate speed to ensure that the District's response to these events was legal, appropriate, effective, and prompt.  We recognize the legitimate concerns that parents and members of the community may have, and assure you that the District has taken these issues seriously and worked to resolve them as appropriately as possible.

Members of the school community should know that the District administration and board of education were as surprised by some of the reporting in recent media accounts as they were.  The very minute that District administration learned of the allegations contained in the media accounts, they moved immediately to ensure appropriate actions were taken to ensure the safe and orderly operation of school functions.

Please know that at all times the District administration and board of education undertook due diligence to ascertain the facts, assess the appropriate and legal steps, and respond accordingly.  Throughout this personnel matter, District administration has been in regular contact with the District's legal counsel to make sure that we were acting in a legal and appropriate manner.  Please also know that if there had been any knowledge or facts that would have suggested to District administration any safety issue for students or other members of the school community, they would have acted immediately to remove that risk.  At no time prior to recent media reports did the District have knowledge of any such risk.

This matter has been resolved quickly and without any direct harm to any member of the school community.  Should any parent or student have questions or concerns, please contact Travis Wilson, 543-2511.

Danny Powell, former principal at Villa Grove School District, will serve as substitute interim principal for the remainder of the school year at Arthur-Lovington Jr. /Sr. High School.  He will begin those duties on Monday, February 3, 2014."

To read the original report about Hatfield, click here.