Prep AD Resigns Over 'Inappropriate' Messages to Grads

An Illinois school district announced Thursday that the athletic director at Peoria Heights High School has resigned over "inappropriate" text and social media communications with recent female graduates.

As reported by the Peoria Journal Star, a district release states: 

“The administration of Peoria Heights School District was recently made aware of information circulating on social media indicating that a former employee, Matt King, was involved in contacting a number of female recent graduates of the District through text message and social media following their graduation. The administration immediately commenced an investigation into the matter.

“While school representatives have seen no evidence of illegal conduct, the evidence reviewed by school representatives showed communications which were inappropriate for a teacher to be sending to recent graduates of the District.”

District superintendent Dr. Eric Heath said King resigned earlier this week. “Mr. King was contacted about the matter and chose to voluntarily resign his position from the school district. He will not return. School representatives currently have no information suggesting that Mr. King sent any similar messages to current students of the school district. Anyone having information concerning this matter is encouraged to contact the school district or law enforcement,” the release said.

Heath further stated that law enforcement was made aware of the situation. However, Peoria Heights Police Chief Dustin Sutton said, “We have not received any complaints or documentation on this. As far as the police department goes, we have not been involved. It’s been an internal investigation and nothing criminal.”

King served as the high school’s baseball coach for a decade before retiring from that post in 2018, a year after he led the team to a state title.