The Alabama teaching certificate of former Lexington resident Brian Kieth McGuire was revoked by the State Board of Education last week, after several investigations that go back nine and one-half years. McGuire is contesting this revocation, and the Board has now made public their reasons for the loss of his license. From Sherrill W. Parris, Assistant State Superintendent:
1. On or about Feb. 1, 2002, and on or about Feb. 28, 2002, you inappropriately touched female students.
2. On or about March 8, 2002, 20 female students complain of your inappropriate conduct toward them, after which an incident/offense report was filed on or about May 5, 2002, with the Limestone County Sheriff’s Department for your inappropriate touch of two female students.
3. In approximately 2002, you watched pornography on your school office computer, as witnessed by at least one of your students.
4. The above incidents and charges occurred during your employment by the Limestone County School System as a physical education teacher during 1995 to 2002.
5. On or around Dec. 20, 1990, you had oral and vaginal sex by forcible compulsion with (alleged victim – name removed), who had not given you any consent and who had been babysitting your brother’s children at the time.
“I disagree with the recommendation of the administrative law judge. I find that the ALJ was in error in his finding that you admitted to having sex with (alleged victim – name removed) to her father and that her father did not accuse you of raping her. The father’s testimony in the criminal trial refutes these findings. Further, I find that the medical records admitted into evidence, which state that the victim reported the rape to her physician support her testimony and should have been addressed in the ALJ’s recommendation when considering the department’s evidence. Based on these findings, I find a direct relationship between those matters and conduct reflected therein and your ability to be an effective teacher, a role model for Alabama public school students, and your fitness to teach. I find your conduct to be immoral, indecent, unbecoming and just cause for revoking your Alabama Professional Educator Certificate.”
We also understand that Keith McGuire is being investigated concerning harassing communications he sent various individuals in the media and the family of at least one of his accusers. It's interesting to note that while a jury in Lauderdale County found McGuire not guilty of the rape for which he was tried in 2009, the Alabama State Board has, after reading the same testimony, found him to be guilty.
Are there any out there who think Brian Keith McGuire or others like him should be teaching the youth of our state? Let's make the state education motto "No More Pass the Trash."
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Kudos to Jean Cole of the Athens News Courier for her tireless work in investigating and reporting on this former Clements teacher.
Shoalanda