Brian Keith McGuire's Fight for Teaching License Heads to State Superintendent

For those who came in late, Brian Keith McGuire is a teacher and former coach who grew up in the small Lauderdale County town of Lexington. After working several years as a barber, McGuire returned to school and graduated from Athens State University with a degree in education; he then taught at Clements High School in western Limestone County.

After accusations that he initiated unwanted sexual contact with two female students, McGuire resigned from Clements in 2002 and taught at three other Alabama schools before being indicted on a rape charge in 2008. At that time two other Clements students came forward with stories of improper conduct by McGuire, and the Alabama Board of Education sought the revocation of McGuire's teaching license. An initial hearing was continued until after McGuire's 2009 trial, at which he was found not guilty of assaulting a teenage babysitter.

It was not until December 14th and 15th of 2010 that the revocation hearing was concluded, with authorities promising a verdict within 30 days. Due to requests for various rebuttals and other delays, the verdict was not announced until last Friday. On September 30th, nine and one-half months after the hearing, a judge pronounced that the State Board of Education had not sufficiently proved McGuire was morally unfit to teach in the state.

Unlike a trial, this hearing does not produce an actual verdict, but only a recommendation to the state superintendent. Now, Interim Superintendent Larry E. Craven will decide the fate of McGuire's licensure...or he could postpone the decision until his replacement is announced.

Those who claim to have been the victims of sexual abuse by McGuire have made their unhappiness with the decision known. Two former Clements students and the alleged rape victim are among those who have offered their opinions on the special judge's decision. We'll bring them to you tomorrow.

*****

Sources with the Muscle Shoals Police Department have stated that former UNA student Corey Langley Griffin, currently accused of rape and awaiting indictment, has two similar previous charges for violence against women. Both a former high school girlfriend from Talladega and a former UNA girlfriend have restraining orders against the one-time high school tennis star. Griffin's response to the charges: "The criminal complaint filed in district court says that Griffin told investigators that he only used the victim for sex, and that she understood her place with him."

It should be an interesting trial...

Related post: Corey Griffin



Shoalanda