Meeting to consider Propst contract renewal canceled

May 14—VALDOSTA — The Valdosta Board of Education has canceled its called Monday, May 17, meeting to reconsider the contract renewal of former Valdosta High School head football coach Rush Propst.

Propst's contract was not renewed by the board in a 5-3 vote April 27.

Earlier this week, the school board voted 5-3 for the May 17 called meeting to include an executive session on the personnel matter which was to "revisit non-renewal of head football coach at VHS." Action will be required, according to school officials.

It is unclear Friday if the reconsideration of Propst's contract is dead or if it has been moved to a later date.

Propst, who was placed on administrative leave March 9, led the Wildcats to a 7-5 record in his first season with Valdosta. The 'Cats reached the GHSA Class 6A state semifinals for the first time since 2016 and finished the season winners of five of their last seven games.

In the months since the 2020 season ended, Propst came under fire after allegations surfaced from a 64-page deposition in a wrongful termination lawsuit filed by the former Coach Alan Rodemaker and his wife against the Valdosta Board of Education.

Among the claims made in the deposition, money intended for advertising was personally pocketed, tampering with the coach search that hired Propst and requests for "funny money" to pay rent for recruits and their families to stay in Valdosta during the 2020 season.

Recruiting is not allowed for high school football teams.

The Georgia High School Association has also levied strict sanctions against the Wildcats going into the 2021 football season. The GHSA denied Valdosta High School's final appeal against the sanctions last week.

This story will be updated as it develops.