Controversy continues to follow newly hired Salem High School football head coach Kevin Miles during the 2022-23 school year.
In a special session of the Palmyra School Board March 30, the resignations of Miles, along with fellow school employees Tyler Krietemeyer, Mark Hoerr and Marty Smyser, were accepted, effective immediately, according to a published report from the Muddy River News.
Palmyra Superintendent Jason Harper said that the four staff members of the school district had been placed on paid leaves of absence before their resignations.
In the April 2 edition of the Muddy River News, it was reported a review of three years of text messages involving the four employees on one school-issued cellphone revealed racial and homophobic comments, as well as comments showing disrespect and disregard for some of the students under their supervision and the teachers they worked with.
Those texts were provided to Muddy River News by Harper after a Sunshine Law request was made March 21, according to the story. The request was specific to all electronic communications involving the suspended employees of the Palmyra School District at the time.
Krietemeyer had been elevated to head coach in February to replace Miles at Palmyra.
In February Miles was hired as the fifth head coach for the Salem Tiger program in the past six years. He replaces Bryson Barnes, who resigned his football coaching duties following a winless 2022 campaign. Miles is also slated to serve as Salem assistant athletic director.
Salem superintendent Dr. Lynne Reed was contacted by The Salem News Monday about the recent situation regarding Miles and said there is no information she can give at this time.
Miles was also contacted by The Salem News Monday, and he shared feelings of regret and embarrassment.
“All I can say at this point is I have made some mistakes,” Miles said. “This is not who I am. I can’t say I’m sorry enough. I am ready to put things behind me.
“This is not the person I am. In my 24 years of teaching and coaching, I’ve had no issues anyplace else in my life. And I will not hide from anything. I care a lot about every aspect of my kids and their lives. I’m extremely embarrassed by this.”
Miles said he looks forward to his move to Salem to try and fit into the community and help rebuild the Tiger football program.
“I’m ready to come to Salem,” he said. “I have been very up front with them over some of the things that’s been going on. I’m ready to move on from them (the issues).”
Palmyra is Miles’ alma mater, and he has been the football head coach there for 12 years.
In all Miles had a 92-50 record there, including four district championships, two conference championships, three Missouri Class 2 state semifinal berths and one quarterfinal appearance. His teams made district championship games in seven of 11 years at Palmyra. His high watermark seasons with the Palmyra Panthers were 12-1 in 2013, 12-1 in 2020 and 11-3 in 2015. He produced winning seasons from 2012-20 with an 82-30 record during that span.
Prior to coaching at Palmyra, Miles was head coach and athletic director at both Putnam County High School from 2006-2009 and at Mark Twain High School from 2000-06.
He has an overall coaching record of 140-74.
His time with the Palmyra football program didn’t end well. Miles resigned from Palmyra in December after a bumpy 2022 season, during which the Panthers officially forfeited six games due to a self-reported violation of Missouri State High School Activities Association bylaws. In addition, Miles received a one-game disciplinary suspension for the season opener by the school due to an incident in an unsupervised locker room.
Palmyra had won just one of its six forfeited games and officially finished with an 0-10 record.
The forfeited games stemmed over player participation limits.
