Holley resigns from Chipley football post

Just four days after having his teacher certificate revoked by the Florida Education Practices Commission, Will Holley resigned Monday as Chipley’s head football coach and athletic director.

Washington County Superintendent, Dr. Sandra Cook, made the announcement of Holley’s resignation in an e-mail sent to media outlets Monday morning.

Holley was stripped of his Florida teaching certificate for five years and fined $1,000 last Thursday by the Florida Education Practices Commission in violation of five counts of a complaint issued by Commissioner of Education, Dr. Eric J. Smith.

Among the counts were two state statutes and three state rules violations, all relating to conduct for teachers, especially in regards with students.

According to the complaint, Holley, 31, was accused of sending “inappropriate text messages” to a female student at Vanguard High School in Ocala, Fla., in or around January 2008. Holley was a teacher and coach at Vanguard at the time.

Cook said Washington County officials accepted Holley’s resignation and will begin the process of hiring for the positions of head football coach and athletic director immediately per school board policy.

Holley, a 1994 graduate of Chipley, was in his first year as the Tigers’ head coach, trying to rebuild a struggling program. Chipley went 0-10 in his only season, but lost five of the games by two touchdowns or less.

He was in his fourth year as a head coach. He guided Graceville to an 14-9 record in 2004 and 2005, directing the Tigers to the Class 1B state championship game in 2005.

He left Graceville to become an assistant coach at North Florida Christian School in Tallahassee. While at NFC, the Eagles reached the Class 1A state championship game.

After one year, Holley became head coach at Vanguard. The Knights were 2-8 in his only season before he returned to his alma mater last year.

Department of Education attorney Miki Presley indicated more than “100 text messages” occurred between Holley and the female student, many that were “inappropriate in their familiarity and lack of professionalism, frequency and content,” said the complaint.

Among the texts, according to the complaint, included, “Can I trust you?,” “Am I wasting my time,” “Do you have a boyfriend?” and “I think I love you.”

The complaint added the texts caused the student “unnecessary embarrassment, worry and anxiety.”

Holley’s attorney, Mary Aspros of Meyer & Brooks law firm in Tallahassee, said Friday an appeal of the commission’s order was a possibility, but had not been determined at that time.

Efforts to reach Aspros Monday for an update were unsuccessful.

An official notification on Holley’s case will be issued in the next week to two weeks. After that, Holley will have 30 days to file an appeal with the Education Practices Commission and with the 1st District Appeals Court in Tallahassee, which would hear any possible appeal.

The commission could have elected to suspend Holley’s teaching certificate, allowing him to teach again after five years. However in revoking his certificate, Holley would be required to reapply like a new teacher. The earliest he could reapply in Florida is in 2014.

He would also have to have written verification from an approved licensed provider that he poses no threat to children and is capable of resuming his duties.

If granted a certificate, Holley would be on probation for two years.  He would also have to participate in the state’s Recovery Network Program, which can include random drug testing, course work, and testing and counseling among other things.

Holley could seek to earn a teaching certificate in another state or a private school but Aspros said his chances would be “impaired” by the commission’s ruling. Most job applications require info on any discipline through the Education Practices Commission.