Trustee in hot water over profanity allegations

ARLEE — Arlee High School principal and athletic director James Taylor has written a formal complaint to board of trustee chairperson Amy Burland against board of trustee member Shelly Fyant after Fyant allegedly used profanity twice against boys basketball coach Dustin Keltner.

Following the Arlee Warriors’ district playoff game on Saturday, Feb. 18, the letter states Fyant approached Keltner and stated, “What the [expletive]? Why didn’t you play [player’s name]?”

Keltner told Fyant that they could set up a meeting to discuss this before Fyant repeated the obscenity. According to the letter, assistant coach Bill Stockton was a witness to the incident.

The letter states that in Fyant’s actions, she violated seven school board policies, Arlee School Handbook policies and Montana School Laws, including code of ethics, spectator conduct and sportsmanship, bullying/harassment/intimidation and disorderly conduct.

The letter urges the board to reprimand Fyant with dismissal or hopes Fyant steps down from her position. In the event Fyant does not lose her seat, Taylor recommends that Fyant abstain from voting on the re-hiring of the winter sport coaches and their teaching positions because of her lack of an unbiased opinion.

This is not the first incident between a spectator and a coach in Arlee. In 2006-07, parent Francis Pierre punched then-coach Brandon Hobbs, causing the coach to hit his head and receive two staples to a three-inch wound. Pierre, who was arrested but eventually acquitted of all charges, claiming he was shoved by Hobbs and simply reacted instinctively, was banned for life at all Arlee school district events. Despite appeals to the board, Pierre’s prohibition continues, though he was permitted to attend his son’s 2009 graduation.