Runnin' Wild in Franklin County

Running wild, lost control.
Running wild, mighty bold.
Feeling gay, reckless too,
Carefree mind all the time, never blue.
Always going, don't know where,
Always showing..I don't care!
Don't love nobody, it's not worthwhile.
All alone, running wild!

It may be an old song, but it could easily be Vina High's new anthem.

*****

A source close to the situation in Vina has related that the most recently terminated coach, Brian Keeton, is married to a student whom he taught while at Winfield. While the TimesDaily has reported Keeton's age as 38, official sources are reporting it as 40, making him 23 years older than his alleged victim/lover. 

*****

State Senator Roger Bedford is initiating a change in the law that affords a suspended teacher pay even if he/she has admitted guilt. Thanks, Sen. Bedford.

*****

Good for Joey Rushing to want to assist in making teachers aware that sex with a student under 19 is illegal, but should it really be necessary? For the record, don't try to put out flames with gasoline...

They're not ill-educated, Joey, they're just immoral. You probably can't change that.

*****

The following comment was sent to us and was not publishable in regular comments due to some language. The writer gave us permission to edit it:

I've been following your blog because I am interested in the events taking place at Vina.
1.) Props on the name. Love word play.
2.) Don't let all this extra attention from the Vina scandal get to your head. Sex sales. ***** "journalism" doesn't, so all of this should go away quickly.
3.) I'm fine with you saying terrible things about Vina. It's the business, so I understand.
4.) I do, however, take offense to this article. "Alabamians first?" "We see out tax dollars wasted on those who have no love for our county, much less citizenship."?? Pray tell, Ms. Shoalanda, how do you have any right to say that these people have no love for this country? Because I never risked my life to be here, travelled thousands of miles through dangerous territory in total fear of being found out to be here, nor have I been separated from my family to be here. Have you?
I can handle the criticism of teachers, principles, schools, etc. for sex crimes, but I so very desperately need to know where do you get off setting the bar for what is considered love of this country?

Our answers?

1) Many thanks. It wasn't particularly well thought out, but it's amazing that many don't realize it represents Shoals Land.

2) Not much goes to my head. For the record, we've gotten many more hits on at least five other news stories in our five years of publishing. We don't claim to be journalists here. We do claim to be astute commentators on local boondoggles. 

3) We're not saying "terrible things" about Vina High School as a whole. We are commenting on the behavior of certain teachers and coaches.

4) How do I have the right to say "Alabamians First?" I'm a citizen, for better or worse. It's my tax dollars that are unfortunately not going to veterans, schools, etc., at least in any great measure. They are going to those who are here because they want something free. I could leave here, but I choose to stay and make things better. 

Remember the meeting Roger Bedford and others had at the A.W. Todd center about two years ago? There were no U.S. Flags there...only Mexican flags. They really love our country, don't they? No, if Canada were closer, they would go there since there's more welfare programs (due to much higher taxes on those who work). How can I judge these people? It's easy. I judge them by their actions. 

Shoalanda

Teacher-Student Sex is More Than a Molehill

It would be very easy to start out with a joke, but as one reader pointed out, problems at Vina are far more serious than losing a few ball games. Yet another reader sent us a Facebook posting in which a Vina High supporter accused this blog of making a mountain out of an ant bed, or words to that effect.

Boys' basketball coach Brian Scott Keeton has denied the allegations of sex with a 17 year-old student. If the allegations are false, the student should be punished severely. If true, Keeton should never be allowed to teach anywhere again. If true, we have to ask again, just what was this 40 year-old man thinking?

*****

On a November 5th Facebook post, Brian Keeton's wife quoted from an article on how to "fireproof your marriage." On November 8th, the day Sonny Tibbs was arrested, she asked for special prayers. We hope everyone does pray for this lady and her child.

Let's also remember the family of the 17 year-old student. As a friend says, it's not always the parents' fault.

*****

Okay...just one small joke: Coach Tibbs was booked in an Alabama hoodie. It's nice to see Franklin County is giving Auburn equal time.



Shoalanda

Sonny Tibbs Given Two Weeks to Resign

Tibbs' Booking Photo at Top

First, a letter from an individual familiar with the situation at Vina High School:

I'd like for you or someone to ask the question as to why Tibbs was put on paid leave. The tenure law was changed last year for this very reason--so that boards can place an employee on unpaid leave and so that the employee doesn't get paid for being investigated. The law does have a provision that if the allegations are proven unfounded, then the employee is entitled to back pay.

So what's the reason for paid leave? He confessed--case closed. It probably doesn't hurt him that he's good buddies with Gary Williams and Richie Hester.

It would also be nice if you'd ask if Vina teachers had possibly been emboldened in these sorts of actions since school officials were pushing to drop the charges against (the last teacher caught having sex with a student).

Just my two cents...these kids are being mistreated with the direct blessing of the administration at all levels and in the Franklin County DA's Office, in every way possible (allowing a teacher to resign instead of firing them, placing them on paid leave instead of unpaid, dropping the charges because the board didn't want the embarrassment and...the list goes on).

*****

WHNT is reporting that Sonny Dewaine Tibbs has been given two weeks to resign or be terminated. In the mean time, he's being paid by the taxpayers of Franklin County and Alabama. We agree with the letter writer: Tibbs confessed to at least three sexual encounters with a 17 year-old student--what else will it take for him to be fired immediately?

*****

A reader has commented that Tibbs and his wife Regina Michelle have only two children--not three as we previously blogged. We're happy to correct that, but it does not change the fact that Tibbs betrayed the trust of his wife, parents, and children.

We learned a long time ago that teachers are just like the general population; there are good ones and bad ones. We simply don't think it should take that much self control to stay away from a teenage girl entrusted to one's care, no matter how many married lovers she may have had.



Shoalanda

Resolve to Honor Our Veterans 365 Days a Year

Unlike those remembered on Memorial Day, those honored on Armistice/Veterans Day are with us yet. Many need our help to navigate lives that are torn apart by war. Let's resolve to remember our veterans 365 days a year and to ensure our Veterans Administration is funded.



The Staff at Shoalanda Speaks

"He's No Coach" and We Agree

Randy Hester

Our blogs on accused Vina coach Sonny Tibbs and coach/principal James Pharr brought scads of e-mails to our inbox. Many contained personal statements (even attacks) concerning the two Vina High School employees, or others, that cannot be reproduced here. Those which can be published are very interesting:

* Shoalanda, get the facts straight. James Pharr is no coach. Vina's football team hasn't won a game in two years. He has coached 4 years and his record is 4-36. (Point taken)

* Franklin County School Superintendent Gary Williams told the parents 2 years ago that it was Pharr's last year as coach because he didn't want a principal coaching because it would take away from him paying attention to his principal duties. Well, he lied. He is still coach and look what all is happening.

* I call Vina High the house that (Board Chair) Randy Hester built. He was elected by the people for the people, but he runs it elected by the people for Randy Hester's family. Both of his sisters drive buses. His wife drives a bus and is an aide.

* No big loss if Tibbs gets fired. The boy's basketball team didn't win a game last year and probably won't this year.

* Pharr got a grant for $6000.00 to buy a new lawnmower for the school. He keeps it for the football field and doesn't let the other coaches use it unless they want to help pay for it. He said he was the one who asked Roger Bedford for the money for it and if they wanted to use it they could pay to use it. (If proved, this might be an ethics violation?)

* Convicts are on campus during school hours weed eating, mowing and cleaning. I don't think they should be on campus while children are present but it has been going on for 2 years. There was even had an instance last year or maybe the year before where a parent was arrested because she was bringing drugs to one of the convicts on campus. 

And finally...

*  I just read Lisa White's comment. My child was at Vina when all of that was going on with Bynam and said that was bull crap. The whole class was talking about that because that boy was in her classroom all day long. Even when she was to be teaching them. When the Tibbs thing broke on the news my kids and their friends who were at our house said they had all been suspecting something because the two of them were always in the new gym together with or without other students in there. A principal should be aware of this stuff. My child said Pharr has no idea what is going on at school because all he does is stay at the weight room or the field house.

We received several comments that were in a similar vein, but you get the picture. The image of an asylum run by the inmates does come to mind. One reader suggested an attorney general's probe. We doubt that is feasible, but anyone may file an ethics complaint with the state ethics commission or contact the accrediting body:

Alabama Commission on Higher Education

 

Telephone:  (334) 242-1998

 

Fax:  (334) 242-0268

 

Delivery Address
100 North Union Street
Montgomery, AL  36104-3758

 

Mailing Address

P. O. Box 302000
Montgomery, AL  36130-2000

Shoalanda

What's "An American Test?"

How the U.K. Handles It

Both liberal Democrats and conservative Republicans have claimed victory in the recent settlement of Alabama's new immigration legislation, a fact that has precipitated much press. Some of the ideas put forth, along with inane rhetoric, are laughable. Some news presented to the citizens of Alabama should give us all pause for thought.

While we have the greatest respect for Cliff Wright, a Florence attorney who handles immigration affairs, he might do well to request silence from his receptionist Diana Wilmes. In a recent TimesDaily article, Wilmes reported having to pay $4,000.00 in legal fees in her quest for citizenship. We have news for Ms. Wilmes: Four thou is very little compared to what many of our friends have paid to gain citizenship. How much would we have to pay to become citizens of her native Columbia? We would also like to know just what "an American test" is. Wilmes stated she had to take one.

The TimesDaily article went on to lament how deportation of breadwinners caused remaining family to turn to food stamps and other state and federal programs. How sad that as Veterans Day approaches, we see out tax dollars wasted on those who have no love for our county, much less citizenship.

No, we can't support everyone. Let's support Alabamians first. It shouldn't be a hard choice.

Related posts:

What Illegal Immigration Has Cost the Shoals

An Open Letter to Cliff Wright

Who Should Come First?

Annali Vasquez--See Second Entry

Shoalanda

Who is James K. Pharr & Just What Does He Know?

A few readers have asked us about Vina High School Principal James K. Pharr and how much he knew of at least two sex scandals in his school. Obviously, we can't say what Pharr knew...or to use the old cliche'...just when he knew it.

Pharr was raised in Hackleburg and received his teaching degree from the University of North Alabama. In 2010, the Franklin County Board of Education renewed his contract as principal of the small county high school. Pharr was principal when a married female teacher began a sexual affair with a student over ten years her junior. Now another married teacher has initiated an affair under Pharr's watch.

If the latest news accounts are correct, it was the family of Sonny Tibbs' victim/lover that informed authorities of the affair--not school officials. We didn't have to dig too deeply to discover that Pharr is a coach himself and leads the Red Devils football team.

It's beginning to look a little like a good ol' boy network, isn't it? We hope the Franklin County Board of Education will hold anyone responsible who knew about Coach Sonny Tibb's sexploits with students...but we're not holding our breath.

*****

We haven't done an actual count of how many secondary schools are in the Lauderdale/Colbert/Franklin area. Counting non-public schools, an estimate would number close to 20. Of these 20 or so schools, the only two reported cases of teacher-student sex have been at one school in Franklin County...and not a very large school at that. Either such cases are grossly under reported or the problems at Vina are so out of control that no responsible parent would send their child to that school.



Shoalanda