Vina coach suspended by board
Brian Scott Keeton
A Vina coach accused of having a sexual relationship with a student was officially suspended from his teaching and coaching duties on Tuesday.
The Franklin County School Board officially approved the suspension for Brian Scott Keeton, 38, who was arrested Nov. 13 and charged with one count of being a school employee engaging in a sexual act with a student under the age of 19, which is a Class B felony punishable by two to 20 years in prison if convicted.
According to school officials, this was Keeton’s second year as a math teacher at Vina and his first year as the head coach of the boys’ basketball team.
Franklin County Superintendent Gary Williams said Keeton would remain on suspension throughout the course of the investigation.
Following Keeton’s suspension, the board approved Justin Humphries as the interim coach of the Vina boys’ basketball team.
According to officials, the charges against Keeton were the result of an alleged sexual relationship with a 17-year-old Vina senior.
Franklin County Sheriff Shannon Oliver said the investigation into Keeton’s alleged relationship was started after information surfaced in a separate investigation concerning Vina’s physical education teacher, Sonny Tibbs, 35, who was arrested on Nov. 8 on three counts of the same charge for his alleged relationship with a different 17-year-old Vina student.
Unlike Tibbs, who reportedly confessed to his ongoing relationship with a student, Oliver said Keeton denied the allegations against him.
Williams said since Keeton has denied the allegations, he would be suspended until the investigation is complete and further action could be taken pending the results of that investigation.
Williams said because of Tibbs’ confession, he drafted a letter recommending the termination of Tibbs as an employee of the Franklin County School System.
Tibbs has 15 days to contest the recommendation before the school board can take action.
Williams said he will bring up the recommendation for Tibbs’ termination at the next board meeting on Dec. 3.
