For a second time in four years, West Point High School’s track coach and P.E. teacher A.J. Lamar has been placed on paid administrative leave amid reports of alleged inappropriate behavior with students.

Cullman County Schools Superintendent Shane Barnette said he made the decision April 19, and the Cullman County Department of Human Resources and the high school are investigating the reports.

Barnette remained mum on details about the allegations facing Lamar, declining to elaborate on how many students were potentially involved, their grades and whether they were in P.E. or track with the former Cullman Bearcat and UNA star fullback. 

Lamar, a tenured teacher, will be on paid administrative leave until the investigation is complete, Barnette said. 

The superintendent also wanted to set the record straight about reports from another local media outlet. 

“Cullman Today put out a lot of speculation,” Barnette said. “I don’t know where they got their facts. It seemed more like rumors from parents. Here are the facts: we had several reports of inappropriate behavior, and he’s on paid administrative leave pending the investigation of those reports.”

Cullman County Sheriff Matt Gentry said rumors Lamar was arrested are not true, and if any crime is discovered during DHR’S investigation, it will be turned over to the sheriff’s office. 

The disciplinary action comes four years after Lamar was place on leave and eventually resigned as West Point head football coach when he was arrested at a service station and charged with public intoxication in the early morning hours of June 20, 2013. 

In an exclusive interview with The Times in 2014, Lamar referred to the episode as “embarrassing,” not only for himself, but his family, his school and “everybody that’s been in contact with his life.” 

West Point High School Principal Heath Yearwood declined to comment on the investigation and a call to Lamar was not immediately returned Friday afternoon. 

Check back for details.

Editor’s note: A previous online version of this story quoted Barnette as saying the Cullman Tribune and Cullman Today “put out a lot of speculation” in its report. Barnette later contacted The Times to clarify that it was Cullman Today, not Cullman Tribune, who reported rumors among parents.