Tony Watts, who stepped down as Newport superintendent earlier in 2025 after a dispute with the school board, is now barred from holding any superintendent position in Kentucky. Watts left the role following disagreements over ways to improve the district’s financial challenges and received a $175,000 buyout finalized in June.
Watts came under investigation by the Kentucky Education Professional Standards Board (EPSB) after records revealed that he failed to report a teacher he had fired in 2023. The teacher was under investigation by the Ohio State Board of Education, but Watts did not submit a report to the EPSB, believing someone else in the district held that responsibility.
While the teacher was not charged with a crime, Ohio records indicate the teacher’s license was revoked following incidents involving students, including one where a student was invited to assist in stretching exercises without other adults present.
The EPSB determined that Watts’ failure to report created a potentially dangerous situation, as the teacher could have applied to other districts in Kentucky. “Watts clearly neglected his duty to protect the students in the Commonwealth, and his failure to act warrants sanction,” the EPSB stated.
Watts’ attorney, Ed Massey, argued that the board’s statement overstated the risk, noting that any district seeking to hire the teacher would have been aware of the prior firing. Newport School Board attorney Brandon Voelker confirmed no students were harmed while the teacher worked in Newport.
As part of a disciplinary agreement with the EPSB, Watts is prohibited from future superintendent roles but may continue teaching. He is required to complete three ethics courses by February 2026. Massey added that Watts had no intention of returning to a superintendent position after leaving Newport.
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