"Didn't see this coming," said George Cook, Hillside School Board President.
Hillside School Board President George Cook says he still shocked.
"The man had never exhibited anything that would make you think this would happen before," Cook said.
He's stunned that the district is in damage control mode with Hillside High School's principal Lee McCaskill accused of old school discipline.
"Right now he's on administrative leave," Cook said.
The principal is on administrative leave and his job is on the line after what happened at the school almost two weeks ago.
Sources say that multiple witnesses allege that McCaskill spanked a 17-year-old female student on the backside.
"What do you think should happen?" Eyewitness News asked.
"Get another principal," a parent said.
In the community, some parents are calling for his dismissal while others aren't yet jumping to conclusions.
"Well you have to see where the evidence leads," another parent said.
School district officials say McCaskill's management style has produced results at Hillside High, lifting the school's state ranking.
It's an approach the school board president says is "very hands on" and that "he's very involved."
It's perhaps an unfortunate choice of words, but they go to the heart of the allegations: Did Principal McCaskill go too far?
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