Residents rally around beloved coaches amidst ongoing legal controversy and lack of criminal charges.
The community of Sperry, Oklahoma, is calling on Attorney General Gentner Drummond to reinstate two respected local coaches—John King and Robert Park—whose teaching licenses were suspended amid an ongoing lawsuit, despite no criminal charges being filed against them.
The suspension stems from a high-profile incident involving three Sperry High School students accused of sexually assaulting another student.
While the legal process continues against two of the students, who have been charged as adults, the charges against the third student have been dismissed.
The incident sparked an internal investigation and resulted in the suspension of three school officials: Principal Richard Akin and coaches King and Park.
On May 23, 2025, a lawsuit was filed on behalf of the victim, naming Sperry Public Schools, the three administrators, the accused students, and their parents.
The suit accuses the district and its staff of negligence, alleging failures in supervision, reporting, and preventing harm to the student involved.
The lawsuit claims Akin, King, and Park did not report the alleged assault and suggests they may have participated in a cover-up.
However, no criminal charges have been filed against any of the administrators, and the district attorney has not pursued further legal action against the coaches.
Despite the gravity of the lawsuit’s claims, many in the Sperry community are pushing back against what they see as an unjust and politically motivated suspension.
One of the loudest voices comes from local parent and community member Ashley Welch, who penned an open letter to Attorney General Drummond urging immediate action to reinstate the coaches.
“There is a reason the district attorney did not file a single charge against our coaches,” Welch wrote.
“The facts continue to speak for themselves. The temporary suspension of the licenses of our football and wrestling coaches was nothing more than a political stunt by Ryan Walters.”
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In her letter, Welch emphasized the coaches’ longstanding roles as mentors, Christians, and leaders in the Sperry community.
She expressed frustration that their reputations and careers were being damaged without due process, despite being cleared internally by the school district and facing no criminal prosecution.
The community has rallied in a series of shows of support, including student walkouts and packed church services led by Coach King, who is also a local pastor.
Parents of students on the teams have been especially vocal, stressing that they continue to trust the coaches with their children and see no justification for their ongoing suspension.
Welch’s letter also highlighted the personal toll on Coach King, whose son is entering his senior year of high school.
“It is going to be absolutely devastating if he isn’t allowed to coach his only son in his senior year of football because of a Ryan Walters political stunt,” she wrote.
“Coach King has coached this class of boys since they were in second grade.”
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With the matter now in Attorney General Drummond’s hands, the Sperry community sees an opportunity for justice and clarity.
They are urging him to review the facts, consider the absence of criminal charges, and end what they view as an unwarranted and damaging suspension.
“This is not OK. It has gone on long enough,” Welch concluded.
“Please give us our football and wrestling coaches back.”
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As the legal process continues, the community awaits Drummond’s response, holding onto the hope that the coaches who have long stood by them will soon be allowed to return to the teams—and the students—they’ve mentored for years.
