PRINCIPAL WAS TOLD TO STOP HYPNOSIS

SUSPENDED NORTH PORT HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL GEORGE KENNEY WAS TOLD TO STOP HYPNOTIZING STUDENTS TWO YEARS AGO BUT KEPT DOING IT ANYWAY.  THE HERALD TRIBUNE REPORTED IN TODAY’S EDITIONS THAT KENNEY ADMITTED TO HYPNOTIZING DOZENS OF STUDENTS, ONE UP TO TEN TIMES, IN HIS OFFICE OR CLASSROOM AT THE SCHOOL OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS.  SCHOOL DISTRICT OFFICIALS REITERATED WEDNESDAY THAT THEY DID NOT KNOW THAT KENNEY WAS STILL PERFORMING INDIVIDUAL SESSIONS, AND THEY HAVE HIRED AN OUTSIDE FIRM TO INVESTIGATE.  THE HYPNOSIS SESSIONS CAME TO LIGHT AFTER KENNEY ADMITTED TO HYPNOTIZING 16 YEAR OLD WESLEY MCKINLEY THE DAY BEFORE HE COMMITTED SUICIDE IN APRIL.  KENNEY SAID HE HAD THE PERMISSION OF THE PARENTS, WHICH THEY HAVE ACKNOWLEDGED PUBLICLY.   STUDENTS AT THE SCHOOL HAVE COME OUT IN SUPPORT OF KENNEY, CREATING FACEBOOK PAGES “STUDENTS IN SUPPORT OF DR. GEORGE KENNEY” AND “BRING BACK KENNEY.”  FOUR STUDENTS WERE REPORTEDLY SUSPENDED FOR FIVE DAYS WEDNESDAY AFTER THEY REFUSED TO GO TO CLASS WHILE PROTESTING THE SUSPENSION IN THE SCHOOL COURTYARD.