BBBTV12 Serving Anderson, Roane, and Morgan Counties
The Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association (TSSAA) has rescinded its penalties against Clinton High School for fielding an academically ineligible football player during the 2023 season, as confirmed by a TSSAA letter sent to the school on Monday.
Clinton High School will retain its wins from last season, and the imposed fines totaling $11,936.60 have been removed from the TSSAA portal.
On May 21, Clinton’s football coach, Darell Keith, was fired after being implicated in a grade-changing scandal investigated by Anderson County Schools.
The reversal followed Clinton principal Robbie Herrell’s presentation of evidence to the TSSAA that the student in question had earned an additional credit for government and economics. This credit was mistakenly recorded under the 2022 school year instead of 2023, as outlined in a letter Herrell sent to the TSSAA.
Clinton had initially self-reported the ineligible player, believing the student failed to meet the required number of credits for the 2022-23 school year, according to a TSSAA letter dated May 17.
The investigation also led to the resignation of former principal Dan Jenkins and the firing of two teachers accused of manipulating a combined total of 1,494 grades, according to a “Charges of Dismissal” document from the Anderson County Board of Education.
