Choral Director Tracy Straight — Was it a firing offense?

Waynesboro (Virginia) High School School Choir Director Tracy Straight (above) may be about to walk the plank for what might or might not have happened on a school field trip to New York this past April.

Allegations have been made that Ms. Straight drank alcohol and let herself be photographed with shirtless male Waynesboro High Concert Choir members.

An open hearing before a fact–finding panel was held on July 5 in the library at Berkeley Glenn Elementary School in Waynesboro.

At the hearing Ms. Straight noted that she had two drinks while on the trip, once during dinner and once after bed checks.

Both times were out of the sight of any students, she said.

She noted there was no policy prohibiting such behavior by chaperones.

Waynesboro school superintendent Lowell Lemons noted that Straight also appeared in "questionable" photos, in one of which she is surrounded by shirtless boys one of whom appears to be licking the side of her face.

Straight told the board she believes she was "set up" by a student whom she had dismissed from the choir the year before.

As always, it's pictures on the internet that lie at the heart of things.

In this case there were six photos posted online, of Ms. Straight and four senior boys.

I remember from a few years ago, during some other brouhaha about photos posted on the web, someone's comment that "eventually everyone's nude on the internet." But I digress.

The Waynesboro News–Leader's editorial board weighed in on Ms. Straight's behalf last week with a thunderous denunciation of the kangaroo court–like proceedings being conducted to determine her fate.

The panel that heard the case must submit a recommendation to the Waynesboro school board by August 5 on whether Ms. Straight should be fired.

The final say rests with the board.