The Huntsville Junior High School boys basketball coach has resigned after a sexual-harassment scandal among players on his team.
Superintendent Audra Kimball confirmed Wednesday that Kaleb Houston had resigned.
Houston was the head cross-country and track coach, head junior high boys basketball coach, and a physical education teacher, according to his profile on the Huntsville School District's website. Kimball is a 2009 graduate of Huntsville High School who has been teaching at the district since 2018.
In May, two of the junior high school's male basketball players were expelled for a semester after administrators conducted an investigation into allegations of sexual harassment among the players.
According to a "Title IX Sexual Harassment Determination of Responsibility" report completed after the internal investigation, the accused players had placed their "genitals in the faces" of several eighth- and ninth-grade boys who were being restrained by other boys in the locker room after games. The practice -- called "baptism" and/or "bean dipping" -- occurred several times during the basketball season, as well as the previous year, according to the report.
The two boys admitted to "baptizing" other players, according to the report. One of the accused boys said he was "baptized" when he was in the eighth grade by a boy who is now on the senior high basketball team.
Other boys were cited in the report for helping restrain the victims while they were being "baptized."
Because they are underage and students, their names weren't used in the report.
In a lawsuit filed July 28 in Madison County Circuit Court, Fort Smith attorney Joey McCutchen wrote that the Huntsville School Board violated the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act when they met to discuss punishment for the students, and didn't notify the press or record the meeting. In his filing, McCutchen referred to the actions of the accused boys as "sexual assault."
Madison County Sheriff Rick Evans said his department is conducting a criminal investigation into the allegations regarding the basketball players.
When asked Wednesday if the investigation involves Houston, Evans said no comment.
Kimball didn't respond to emails or telephone calls seeking more information.