GHSA Wrapping Up Shiloh Inquiry

(Editor's Note: This article was originally published in May 2012.)

The Georgia High School Association (GHSA) is wrapping up its investigation into alleged recruitment violations at Shiloh High in Snellville, according to state sports officials.

Ralph Swearngin, executive director of the GHSA, said earlier this week that the investigation was days from completion. In addition, there are several other schools that the association is looking into for recruitment violations. 

Swearngin would not name those schools, but said "this is an ongoing thing, and it happens probably three or four times a year where these allegations look like there may be something to it."

In the case of Shiloh High School, it centers on the transfer of four students from North Atlanta High School to the Snellville high school, where their former coach was leading the football team. Three of those students graduate this week.

That former coach, Brian Montgomery, resigned April 19, and the reason he gave the district was "due to an illness." However, the resignation came just ten days after Gwinnett County Public Schools began an internal inquiry and several weeks after GHSA said it was opening an investigation.

On April 16, the school district also had informed Montgomery that he was not going to get a new contract for the next school year anyhow. Montgomery has adamantly denied the allegations.

Undue Influence?

Although Montgomery is at the center of this investigation, there could be repercussions for either school -- North Atlanta or Shiloh -- if it is determined that he induced students to transfer, or is guilty of undue influence.

Deciding what Montgomery did and didn't do may be a challenge, but to Swearngin the rules are clear: Anytime a student asks anything of a coach about transferring to a school for athletic purposes, "a coach really needs to back away."

In addition, no person affiliated with the school may initiate that kind of contact with a student or parent, he said. If someone wants to transfer, sports leaders should simply direct them to school administrators or counselors, Swearngin said.

In both private and public schools, there's a concern. However, "it is not illegal for schools to put out information about their school in the broadest sense, but once it gets zeroed in on this being athletic-orientated then all the red flags go up," Swearngin added.

But, he said, when you deal with "sophisticated people" they know how to skirt the rules.

"The rules are cut-and-dry, but when you start applying those rules the water gets a little cloudy," Swearngin said.

Early Concerns

Even Gwinnett County Public Schools stopped short of deciding guilt, referring its investigation over to the Georgia Professional Standards Commission. When GHSA comes to a conclusion that will be forwarded to the state professional standards group, as well.

The commission will then decide whether Montgomery can continue to teach, and thus coach, in the state.

It isn't the first time, however, that Montgomery ran into problems at a school he worked at. He was replaced as athletics director of Selma High in Alabama in May 2008, and a month later, the city school board terminated Montgomery completely, according to The Selma Times -Journal.

He had been the football coach there, and concerns had surfaced regarding more than $46,000 in unauthorized sports equipment. Just as he is doing now, Montgomery denied any wrongdoing.

Back in Gwinnett County, district and school officials had voiced early concerns about the transfer of North Atlanta High students. A new rule was going into effect for the 2011-2012 school year forbidding students from following their former coaches unless they sit out a year.

Many involved -- including Mike Emery, county's athletic director, and Michael Nicholson, the school's athletic director -- were confused about when the rule would go into effect and whether it would impact the students.

All students transferred in May 2011, and documents show that August 1 was determined to be the start of the "follow the coach" rule.

Still, Emery advised Nicholson that "it would look awfully strange (if anyone checked) allowing kids, especially athletes, to enter during final exam week. I told him that it was not the right thing to do."

Program's Future

Yes, there many be sanctions for Shiloh High School and Montgomery may never be able to teach or coach again in Georgia, but students' and parents' trusts also has been gravely shattered.

In the course of the investigation, one parent said in a letter that her athlete son -- who is graduating this week -- should have been experiencing a great time in his final year. However, she said it was marred by the transfer confusion, the ensuing investigation and other concerns throughout the year, such as mandatory sports fees. 

"I blame myself; I trusted the school system, administration, teachers and coaches to handle their responsibilities with the child's best interest at heart," she wrote. "I say that Shiloh has failed my son as a student and athlete and failed me as a parent!"

With the sting of investigation still searing, the new coach, Troy Hobbs, knows he has challenges ahead. He left North Gwinnett High School to help lead the new group of football players and get the program back on track. 

Reached last week, Hobbs said, "We are working to get things in order. Slow process."

With nearly 200 parents signing a petition in support of Montgomery and inquiries that have not been put to rest, not to mention a dismal football record of just two wins last season, Hobbs walks into quite a task.

The question now is: Can this beleaguered program gain momentum that wins games, and hearts?