SPRINGFIELD, Tenn. (WTVF) — They coached girls’ and boys’ basketball at Springfield High School, but now say discrimination eventually forced them from the sidelines.
Anthony Griggs coached the boys' team for about 3 years. Rodney Davis coached the girls' team for just one.
EEOC complaints filed by both coaches make brief mentions of harassment, discrimination and retaliation. Now, the two are detailing their experiences publicly for the first time.
"I already had seen a road of discrimination just right off the top, but because I had just got there, of course I didn't want to make any waves," Davis said.
Davis fell sick at the start of the 2025 school year and says that's when everything went downhill. He cashed a paycheck a school administrator later said in an email wasn't his to cash — even though a text message shows it may have been handed to Davis by the principal.
"Well, they went around sending out emails around the school acting as if I had stolen a payroll check," Davis said.
Davis reported the situation to Human Resources at Robertson County Schools. He says the response was a pointed reminder.
"I just want you to be aware that your contract is only good for one year," Davis said.
Davis writes in his EEOC complaint that from that point on, the harassment was constant. He says officials barged into his classroom and denied him access to facilities.
Both coaches also wrote about being passed over for jobs in favor of arguably less qualified white candidates.
When the school fired its janitor, Griggs and Davis say they were told to clean the floors and shovel snow — tasks they say were not expected of their white colleagues.
"All the schools I've been to, no one's ever told me to go outside and shovel snow if I want to have practice and have games," Griggs said.
Griggs says the harassment extended to being pulled away from his team during games to run the concession stand.
"And I'm not getting into my locker room until the fourth quarter because I'm in the concession stand," Griggs said.
Griggs and Davis both say the school completely dropped the ball when the one bus they were provided either showed up late or not at all.
“We’re literally running, trying to tie our shoes just to hop on the floor,” Griggs said.
They say texts from Principal Dr. Chris Tucker didn’t exactly make things any better.
“He started referring to us as 'boys' when he would make statements and when he would send text messages,” Davis said.
Robertson County schools declined to comment on an ongoing investigation, but that same day announced their new girls’ basketball coach, having already hired a new boys’ coach in July.
Griggs and Davis said watching two white men replace them was about as blatant as it gets. Not that they had much confidence in HR after knowing the person they spoke to is also married to the superintendent.
Robertson County Schools declined to comment on an ongoing investigation. That same day, the district announced a new girls' basketball coach, having already hired a new boys' coach the previous month. Both replacements are white men.
Griggs and Davis say the HR process offered little comfort, noting that the HR representative they spoke with is married to the superintendent.
"So, you felt like there was nothing that was going to be done?" I asked.
"Yeah, there was no way out," Davis said.
Griggs resigned as coach and soon got a new offer to be the next coach at LaVergne High School, but that’s when he said something strange happened.
Two days later, he’s also terminated from his teaching job at Springfield.
“That Friday, I got a phone call from the LaVergne principal and she’s like, hey, I’m here with my superintendent. Someone from Springfield called over here and gave you a negative reference,” Griggs said.
LaVergne pulled the job offer. Griggs said he was advised to consult an attorney, since LaVergne had not contacted Springfield seeking a reference.
"It would've been a lot better for my family, and that opportunity was taken away from me because someone was upset that I was leaving here and not following their direction anymore," Griggs said.
Griggs moved his family to Mississippi and drove six hours to be here for this interview, worried that any retaliation he faced at Springfield would follow him anywhere in the state.
Davis was also let go after his year, but both say they don’t regret speaking out if it means whoever is in these seats next finds the strength to do the same.
“I may not be able to change the world, but I want to inspire somebody who can, especially someone that looks like me,” Griggs said.
This is a developing story, but if you have an experience with this school or district you care to share, you can contact me at: Levi.ismail@NewsChannel5.com
