Originally published 5.13.26 – WMOK – Metropolis, IL – Details of a 2024 Title 9 investigation involving former Massac County High School Athletic Director Patrick Clark have surfaced this week following an open records request by WPSD. The coverage has brought the incident to the forefront of the Massac County community news cycle.
The Investigation Details & Allegations
According to the reported documents, a formal 5-month investigation was launched immediately after the school administration received screenshots of electronic communications. The specific allegations leveled during the inquiry centered on:
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Inappropriate Content: The screenshots detailed multiple instances of highly inappropriate communication sent from Clark directly to a student.
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Unprofessional Conduct: The shared text messages explicitly lacked the professional boundaries required of a district official and athletic director.
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Red-Flag Communication Patterns: The records revealed a broader reliance on personal cell phones to conduct unlogged, direct staff-to-student contact outside of official channels.
District Findings and Employment Status
The formal investigation concluded that while Clark’s conduct did not technically meet the legal threshold for a Title IX violation, Superintendent Jason Hayes determined the behavior was “inappropriate” and “lacked professionalism.”
Following the 2024 investigation, Clark was removed from his position as Athletic Director. Superintendent Hayes confirmed to WMOK that Clark is still employed by the school system and is now working in the Special Education Department as an assistant.
Superintendent Availability
Superintendent Hayes joins WMOK on the second Wednesday of each month for our Coffee Break program. When we sat down on May 13th he was eager to speak with WMOK to address the matter and provide further context to the public.
Hayes advised WMOK that an investigation into the behavior began as soon as the screenshots of the text messages were received to determine if a violation of Title 9 had taken place. The investigation lasted 5 months.
Hayes told WMOK that the investigation did not find direct violations of Title 9; however, he and the board members deemed the texts inappropriate.
Action was taken by removing Clark from the position of Athletics Director. Hayes told WMOK that Clark is now working in the Special Education Department as an Assistant.
Hayes also told WMOK that if anything positive has come from the incident, it is that they have found that many staff members use their personal cell phones for student contact, especially in the world of athletics. With this issue brought to their attention, it has resulted in new policies in place.
Hayes said policies have been adjusted to eliminate contact between staff and either parents or students via personal electronic devices. A district-provided format MUST now be used for communications.
Additional Items:
WMOK asked Mr. Hayes how many complaints were received
WMOK asked Mr. Hayes to explain Title 9
WMOK asked Mr. Hayes how many Title 9 investigations have taken place in recent years
5.14.26 7:41am – Upon completion of reviewing our Coffee Break episode with Superintendent Hayes early this morning we have recalled that we revisited the Title 9 topic as we wrapped up the discussion of another topic. That audio has now been added to the following clip which was uploaded yesterday. You’ll find an additional 4-ish minutes at the end.
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