CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – Northwest High School assistant football coach and School Resource Officer Trey Campbell has been removed from his volunteer coach position and left his position as an SRO after a controversy over his “proselytizing” during a game.
On Thursday, Campbell told Clarksville Now he has chosen to work in the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office patrol unit as a deputy, leaving his job as a sheriff’s SRO at Northwest.
“I decided to go back to patrol because the school system decided to fire me from volunteer coaching,” said Campbell. “I was not fired from my SRO position, but the move was my decision due to the way the school treated me and my wife.”
‘Extreme,’ ‘defiant’ behavior on sidelines
During the Sept. 5 football game, Campbell repeatedly read Scripture from the sidelines, waved his Bible and led students in faith-based chants, according to the Clarksville-Montgomery County School System. He was asked to stop the disruptive behavior that witnesses described as “extreme,” “defiant” and “unreasonable.” Instead of stopping, he left the game, CMCSS said. Campbell told Clarksville Now he was given an ultimatum that he refused.
According to CMCSS spokesman Anthony Johnson federal law and the U.S. Constitution place limits on the actions of public employees, including educators, coaches and SROs, when they are acting in their official capacities.
Removed as coach, leaving SRO post
Campbell had been on paid administrative leave from his SRO role since Sept. 6 and has not been allowed to return to the sidelines since the incident.
On Thursday, CMCSS confirmed only that Campbell is no longer a volunteer coach.
Because Campbell was employed by the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, that agency was investigating as well. MCSO confirmed that Campbell requested and was granted the transfer.
Jordan Renfro contributed to this report.
| GET YOUR MORNING NEWS: Sign up for the free daily Clarksville Now email newsletter