KENNEY REPORTEDLY LIED ABOUT HYPNOSIS

NORTH PORT HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL GEORGE KENNEY LIED TO SARASOTA COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT OFFICIALS ABOUT PERFORMING HYPNOSIS ON STUDENTS AT THE SCHOOL.  THAT WAS THE FINDING OF A 134 PAGE REPORT COMPLETED BY THE STEELE INVESTIGATION AGENCY OF BRADENTON AND RELEASED TUESDAY.  THE REPORT ALSO SAID SCHOOL DISTRICT OFFICIALS TOLD KENNEY THREE TIMES TO STOP HYPNOTIZING STUDENTS INDIVIDUALLY.  STEVE CANTEES, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF HIGH SCHOOLS FOR THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, TOLD KENNEY IN A VERY DIRECT MANNER TO LIMIT HYPNOSIS SESSIONS TO THE CLASSROOM AND WITH PARENTAL PERMISSION IN THE WINTER OF 2009.  SCHOOL SUPERINTENT LORI WHITE CALLED FOR THE INVESTIGATION FROM THE OUTSIDE AGENCY IN MAY AFTER THE PARENTS OF 16 YEAR OLD WESLEY MCKINLEY THOUGHT THERE MIGHT BE A CORRELATION BETWEEN HIS SUICIDE AND A HYPNOSIS SESSION THE DAY BEFORE.  KENNEY ALSO ADMITTED TO LYING ABOUT HYPNOTIZING 17 YEAR OLD BRITTANY PALUMBO, WHO ALSO COMMITTED SUICIDE JUST WEEKS BEFORE GRADUATION.  THE NORTH PORT POLICE DEPARTMENT IS CONTINUING THEIR CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION THAT WAS LAUNCHED EARLY THIS MONTH, AND KENNEY HAS BEEN REASSIGNED IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.