COLQUITT COUNTY, Ga. — We're learning more about why one of the most recognizable football coaches in South Georgia is out of a job.
Rush Propst was fired last week by the Colquitt County School Board.
We told you last week that the Georgia Professional Standards Commission has taken over the investigation into Propst. On Tuesday, we dug into the internal investigation by the superintendent.
The investigation touches on a lot of ethical issues and how Propst violated several standards.
It's a report that includes evidence from others on the team, but the reaction here in Moultrie and on social media is mixed.
Rush Propst is a man familiar with the spotlight, but new details paint a not-so-pretty picture about his time at Colquitt County High.
An internal report claims he violated at least four standards from the Georgia Code of Ethics for Educators: conduct with students, legal compliance, honesty and public funds and property.
Statements from the athletic trainer and some assistant coaches back up the claim that Propst gave pills to his players. The report includes records that show Propst owes hundreds of thousands of dollars in taxes.
The superintendent said Propst was insubordinate and interfered while the high school was hiring a principal, arranging his own private interview with the candidate at Starbucks.
The investigation also notes a time when Propst stayed in a hotel for a personal visit. Emails indicate he never paid for the room on his own and charged the district to foot the bill.
One of the biggest concerns the superintendent noted was a lack of control with the team, especially after losing the state title game in December.
Statements in the report describe chaos in the locker room and that deputies had to step in to calm things down.
We talked to people in Moultrie about the report, but no one wanted to go on camera.
One person told us that some on the school board never liked Propst and that the investigation should've been done by an independent group to avoid any bias.
Meanwhile, there's a lot of support for the former coach online, but no one was available to talk Tuesday.
