SMITHVILLE, Mo. — The principal of Smithville High School is under investigation and has been dismissed by the district after officials say he violated professional behavior, allegedly giving a student a prescription drug and having explicit, sexual conversations with students.
Dr. Rudy Papenfuhs was placed on administrative leave last week.
District officials said Dr. Papenfuhs is accused of texting students between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m., which is a violation of board policy. He also is accused of other inappropriate behavior such as adding a student to his cell phone plan and insurance policy, letting students use his car, taking students to Chiefs and Royals games and making sexual comments to students.
One student we spoke to said Dr. Papenfuhs is a father-figure at the school.
We asked Kevin Kopp, a high school senior, about one particular accusation; that Dr. Papenfuhs frequently pulls certain students out of class for an extended period of time for explained reasons.
“That was me! Freshman, sophomore, junior year, he would pull me out of class and he would ask me how are you doing, how is the situation with your mom?” said Kevin Kopp. “I think in the modern world today when everyone`s too worried about how politically correct they are, I think Dr. Papenfuhs is a big relief from that,” Kopp said.
But other students described his behavior as inappropriate.
“I’m really disappointed in his behavior. A lot of people look up to him as a role model and I don`t even see why. If a principal is going to ask me those types of questions, he has no business being anyone`s role model,” said sophomore student, Trinity Kubly.
Trinity’s mother said Papenfuhs talked to her daughter about inappropriate topics after an incident that got Trinity removed from the cheerleading squad.
“I should be the only one who would be talking to my daughter about anything to do with a sex life,” said the mother, Angelia Kubly.
No criminal charges have been filed, but police were investigating. Papenfuhs has been principal of Smithville High School for six years.