PLEASANT COUNTY COACHES RESIGN OVER ALCOHOL INCIDENT

(10/24/2003)
Pleasants County teacher and coach Howard Wiblin, who was scheduled to be suspended for drinking alcohol at a restaurant during a school function, has submitted his resignation.

The school board accepted Wiblin's resignation Thursday.

Wiblin teaches social studies and psychology at St. Marys High School, where he's also an assistant girls' track coach.

Wiblin would have faced a three-day suspension without pay in the spring for violating a drug free and safe schools policy during last year's West Virginia track meet in Charleston.

The board issued three-day suspensions to Wiblin and former coach John Armstrong for drinking at a Charleston restaurant. Armstrong resigned earlier in July.

School officials said that although the coaches were not with students while drinking alcohol, they were still on school time at a school function.