Phillip Koons, a former Ringling High School principal and coach, faced charges of physical and verbal abuse, which have now been dropped by the Jefferson County District Attorney. The charges came after seven former players accused Koons of misconduct between August 2021 and February 2023. District Attorney Jason Hicks said the decision followed a review of civil depositions and the pursuit of justice. Koons’ attorney, Shelby Shelton, said, "There were false allegations, but they did their job and they followed the evidence. They dismissed it," according to KFOR.
Koons faced dropped criminal charges but still faces a federal lawsuit. Shelby Shelton said, "This has been a long, hard fight," and added, "We've taken a beating on social media, we've been called a pedophile, my client has." The allegations started after a student’s suspension over a gun threat. The federal lawsuit seeks $13.5 million in damages against Koons, his sons, the school district, and the superintendent. Shelton said, "It's about money; there's a 13-and-a-half million-dollar lawsuit from the same false allegations," as reported by News 9.
Koons was rehired as a teacher at Ringling Public Schools in June 2024. His attorney said, "He was the head principal — 7th through 12th — and coach, and teaching at that time, so there was no threat to students or he would've never been allowed to go back and start that 2024 season," as mentioned by KTEN. Criminal allegations against Koons have been dropped, but civil proceedings are still ongoing. His future as a coach is unclear, and his legal team is not providing further details to protect the ongoing case.
