BY ANDY TAYLOR
chronicle@taylornews.org

COFFEYVILLE — Coffeyville’s chief school official is not commenting on the status of two Field Kindley High School coaches who have been asked to resign their coaching duties this week.

Dr. Robert Morton, USD 445 superintendent, said he would not comment on the status of Rich Giesen, FKHS head football coach, and Jimmy Littleford, FKHS assistant football coach. According to some students at Field Kindley, both coaches were asked to resign their coaching duties effective Tuesday of this week. Should the two coaches not resign their coaching duties, they would face termination, the students told the Montgomery County Chronicle.

Even though Morton is not commenting on the matter, the issue is expected to be discussed at a special school board meeting next Monday night, Nov. 23. The meeting will be held at 7 p.m., in the Community Elementary School Multi-Purpose Room.

Listed on the agenda of items is the termination of Rich Giesen and Jimmy Littleford from their coaching duties. The school board is expected to discuss the matter in an executive session, which is closed to the press and public, prior to deciding whether to terminate the coaches from their supplemental duties.

News of the two coaches’ impending resignations or terminations were first announced at the FKHS football banquet last Thursday night when Giesen, after handing out the team awards, told players and their families that he had been asked to resign. No further comment was made regarding the matter.

However, FKHS students rallied behind the two coaches during a demonstration on Friday afternoon. Several students instigated a rally at 1 p.m., which prompted a response from the Coffeyville Police Department. Students began gathering in the first floor hallway near the main entrance of Field Kindley School. Several of the students in this large group were being disruptive and appeared to be inciting the situation, said Coffeyville police Commander Mike Brown. Officers began assisting the FKHS faculty and staff in regaining order by directing students to return to their classrooms. In the process, two students were arrested, and the school campus was placed on lockdown.

A 17-year-old male was arrested for disorderly conduct when he refused to comply with instructions from a faculty member and an officer. A 15-year-old male was arrested for disorderly conduct and obstruction when he refused to comply with instructions from both faculty members and officers and resisted being taken into custody.

The rally initially began with about one dozen students but quickly grew to more than 100 students when school was released shortly after 3 p.m. The rally continued to the south side of South Eighth Street where students chanted and carried banners. “Nado Pride?” questioned one sign while another banner read “Give Us Back Daddy Giesen and Jimmy L.” “Save the Coaches” read another sign. “Give us back our coaches!” chanted the students.

In an e-mail letter to FKHS parents later that night. FKHS principal Ben Smith indicated the post-school rally was not disruptive.

“I have heard no news that would indicate that students were anything less than peaceful and responsible in their off-grounds demonstration,” Smith said in his letter.

Several FKHS students who attended the rally were asked by the Montgomery County Chronicle to describe the situation that might have caused Giesen and Littleford to be asked to resign. The students said the situation occurred earlier in the football season where several players were hazing other players in a lockerroom. Coaches were told of the situation and disciplined the players who instigated the hazing.

However, news of the hazing incident as well as the discipline reached FKHS administrators in the middle of the week last week, prompting a decision to seek the removal of the two coaches from their coaching duties. Giesen also serves as the FKHS head men’s and women’s track coach while Littleford was the co-head men’s basketball coach and assistant track coach.