A Campbell County High School teacher was recently suspended without pay, following an arrest.
Keaton Scott Heatherly, 34, was arrested on March 17 and charged with aggravated assault.
The Press’s attempts to contact him were unsuccessful.
According to an incident report from the Caryville Police Department, Keaton Scott Heatherly’s wife spoke to an officer and claimed that her husband arrived home drunk and assaulted her.
The alleged victim said that Keaton “grabbed her by the throat” and “drug her through the house,” according to the report.
She allegedly told authorities that she had called someone to give her a ride, and that person arrived to find Keaton allegedly choking her, per the report. The witness allegedly pulled Keaton off the victim, which allowed the alleged victim to leave.
Law enforcement arrived at the site of the alleged assault and arrested Keaton.
The next day, Keaton Heatherly was suspended, effective immediately.
In a letter dated March 18 to Keaton Heatherly, Director of Schools Jennifer Fields wrote: “As I understand it, you were arrested this weekend and currently face related criminal charges. While that matter remains pending, you will remain on suspension status, without pay, effective immediately.
“While on suspension status, you are not to enter school grounds or be upon school property, without express written permission from a school administrator.
“If you are later cleared of any criminal and unprofessional conduct, then you will return to work as a teacher, with full back pay related to your time suspended. If either an external or an internal investigation uncovers evidence of your unprofessional conduct, however, other discipline measures will be considered, up to and including your dismissal.”
Keaton Scott Heatherly was hired as a U.S. history teacher at Campbell County High School just before the start of the 2023-24 school year.
Before being hired at CCHS, Keaton Heatherly had worked as a sales manager at U.S. Cellular in Jacksboro since August 2018 and as an adjunct professor at Roane State Community College since August 2017, per his resume.
At Roane State, he taught “accelerated term of survey of history courses,” according to his resume.
He taught history and geography at the Christian Academy of Campbell County from August 2012 to May 2017, according to his resume. The school closed later that year.
