It was an event that once would have barely made news outside the school gym, much less traveled beyond this 4,900-resident Appalachian mountain town. But within hours of Hazard High School's homecoming "Man Pageant," where male students dressed in women’s undergarments appeared to lap-dance and grind on seated school leaders, the photos hit social media. By the next day, they’d gone viral — sparking outrage that turned a spotlight on this tiny Kentucky community. Images that included principal Donald "Happy" Mobelini, who is also Hazard’s mayor, smiling while half-clad students danced suggestively — and young women dressed as Hooters waitresses — drew condemnation from social media users. Some residents were appalled, but many have leaped to the school’s defense — casting the controversy as overblown and the work of outsiders. 🔗 Read what locals are saying through the link in our bio. 📷: Chris Kenning