Forest Hills Superintendent Larry Hook is on his way out, telling the school board Thursday that he intends to leave the district at the end of July. Hook, who arrived in 2022 after more than three decades in education, has spent much of his tenure at the center of bitter fights over curriculum and school culture that have hovered over the district for years.
Hook told the board his decision came "with a mixture of emotions" and said his last day will be July 31, as reported by the Cincinnati Enquirer. The announcement landed at a board meeting that drew both residents and elected officials to the district offices. District leaders did not immediately share any details about how they plan to handle the transition.
Years of culture‑war fights
Forest Hills has been locked in high‑profile clashes over race, identity and what gets taught in classrooms since 2022, including a so‑called "Culture of Kindness" resolution that sparked protests and a lawsuit, and the decision to paint over a student‑created diversity mural. WCPO reports the board later rescinded the resolution and settled the lawsuit, and WVXU covered how the mural dispute further inflamed public tensions.
A contested contract vote
In December 2025 the board voted 3‑2 to extend Hook's contract another year to July 31, 2027, in a move led by outgoing members that critics argued tied the hands of the incoming board and locked in a six‑month buyout if he were fired early, according to the Cincinnati Enquirer. That extension, and the politics swirling around it, set the stage for months of rancor and shaped how residents are now reacting to Hook's decision to step down.
What comes next
The board must now decide whether to plug the gap with an interim superintendent or launch a broader national search. The Forest Hills superintendent page notes Hook joined FHSD in August 2022 and highlights his decades in education, and the district lists its central office at 7946 Beechmont Avenue for meeting notices and district business. Forest Hills School District posts board agendas and contact information online.
Parents and community leaders are already split on what Hook's exit means. Some see a chance to move past the endless board battles, while others warn the timing leaves classrooms facing a new round of uncertainty this spring. Local coverage shows the community remains sharply divided over whether this leadership shakeup will finally calm things down or simply trigger the next wave of turmoil, per WCPO.
