By Bruce Rolfe
While an overflow crowd of over 100 people was hoping to have some type of answer on an investigation into complaints made against Climax-Scotts varsity football coach Tyler Langs entered a 12th week, there still is no answer.
After nearly an hour and a half of listening to community input from 26 people, followed by 2:45 in closed session at a special school board meeting Monday, the Climax-Scotts School Board continue to grapple with the issue with no conclusion.
The board planned to move into closed session for attorney-client communication following the lengthy public forum, however before the board went into closed session board member Trent Piper requested two items be added to the agenda when the board came out of closed session. He requested career coordinator and teacher employment status be added to the agenda. He also requested head football coach, Dean of Students, and athletic director employment status be added. The two items were added to the agenda by a 4-3 margin.
Former varsity football coach Kevin Langs is the career coordinator teacher. Tyler Langs is the Dean of Students and Athletic Director as well as the varsity football coach.
Some on the board seemed surprised the two topics were requested to be placed on the agenda.
“It’s about time. We all are in this room and we all want this to end. Good, bad or indifferent. I’m trying simply to put something on the agenda if it is allowed tonight that hopefully will bring a resolution, or at least those conversations to make this come to an end,” said Piper.
However when the board reconvened after 2:45 in closed session, the board approved a motion to withdraw the motion of adding the two items to the agenda Piper requested. The board then adjourned.
Tyler Langs was placed on non-disciplinary paid administrative leave in all three roles October 24, which Newington said after the January 12 meeting is the only time he has done that in 17 years.
A statement offered by Newington October 31, 2025 said, “The district has received complaints regarding the current football coach. The district will not comment on the allegations within those complaints and is consulting with legal counsel to complete a thorough investigation.”
Newington reiterated after the meeting he could not comment on any of the allegations.
Kalamazoo County Undersheriff Michelle Greenlee said January 12 Tyler Langs is not being investigated for any criminal activity at this time.
Newington said Tyler Langs will be able to offer a statement and address the school board with his concerns at a future board meeting.
The C-S Superintendent said the issue will likely be added to a board meeting but would not be discussed at the January 19 regular school board meeting.
Tyler Langs said he wants whats best for the Climax-Scotts School District.
“First and foremost, we love C-S. Our family has put a lot of time and effort here and we love the people here, so we’ll continue to fight that. We ultimately know God’s got a plan.
Never claimed to be perfect, but it’s one of those things that I’m willing to make changes to help out. I don’t want people to feel that way, but understand that we love C-S and we love being here,” said Langs.
Most in the public forum session came to support Tyler Langs, however there were a handful of others that offered a different perspective of the coach.
Ashley Bushouse said what she knows about Tyler is not based on rumor or social media narratives, but lived experiences.
“I have seen his family give rides to students who needed help getting home or to school. I have seen them notice the child sitting alone and offer a high five, a word of encouragement, or simply presence. These are small acts, but they are the acts that define a person who genuinely cares about kids—not just athletes, not just high performers, but every child,” said Bushouse.
“I am not asking the board to ignore concerns. I am asking the board to lead with principle. To evaluate facts carefully, to protect confidentiality, to resist public pressure, and to remember the many years of demonstrated care and service this individual and his family has given to our students,” adds Bushouse.
Jackson Bagwell, a 2025 C-S graduate of C-S, said as a football player who played for Tyler Langs, he has nothing but good things to say.
Also a wrestler, Bagwell claimed the pressure Tyler Langs put on some of the wrestlers who were football players “was unnecessary and inappropriate.”
“Not only to me, but also my other teammates. We were always micro-manged. Our weight was a big factor. If we were cutting weight, there was always a threat that we may not be able to play football next year,” said Bagwell.
The recent C-S graduate said he recalls one experience his junior year at team regionals. He claims before the team left, Tyler Langs approached him and another wrestler and discussed about how much the wrestlers were cutting weight and they may not be able to play football the following season because of the weight cutting.
“I understand that he wants our safety and we may have been cutting weight too hard, but that is not his decision to make, as to how much weight we cut. That is our parents decision. At the end of the day, the extra pressure added was not helpful at all. It made us not like him very much. During football season we saw him as a friend, and during wrestling we saw him as an enemy,” said Bagwell.
Tyler Langs said he was very thankful for the support from the audience.
“I was in tears a couple of times listening to some of the support and the people. It’s why I have my four kids here. It’s why this place is special. That’s why we love it so much. We hope that we can shed some of that light for other people to see and understand that we do care about everybody,” adds Langs.
“It was a very passionate group and they care about the district. We all want what’s best for kids,” adds Newington.
Newington said the investigation is “kind of, a little bit ongoing.” He said a summary of the charges were given to Langs and his attorney, “and they took quite awhile to get back to us.”
“There was some communication between the attorneys and that brought us to here,” said Newington.
While an overflow crowd of over 100 people was hoping to have some type of answer on an investigation into complaints made against Climax-Scotts varsity football coach Tyler Langs entered a 12th week, there still is no answer.
After nearly an hour and a half of listening to community input from 26 people, followed by 2:45 in closed session at a special school board meeting Monday, the Climax-Scotts School Board continue to grapple with the issue with no conclusion.
The board planned to move into closed session for attorney-client communication following the lengthy public forum, however before the board went into closed session board member Trent Piper requested two items be added to the agenda when the board came out of closed session. He requested career coordinator and teacher employment status be added to the agenda. He also requested head football coach, Dean of Students, and athletic director employment status be added. The two items were added to the agenda by a 4-3 margin.
Former varsity football coach Kevin Langs is the career coordinator teacher. Tyler Langs is the Dean of Students and Athletic Director as well as the varsity football coach.
Some on the board seemed surprised the two topics were requested to be placed on the agenda.
“It’s about time. We all are in this room and we all want this to end. Good, bad or indifferent. I’m trying simply to put something on the agenda if it is allowed tonight that hopefully will bring a resolution, or at least those conversations to make this come to an end,” said Piper.
However when the board reconvened after 2:45 in closed session, the board approved a motion to withdraw the motion of adding the two items to the agenda Piper requested. The board then adjourned.
Tyler Langs was placed on non-disciplinary paid administrative leave in all three roles October 24, which Newington said after the January 12 meeting is the only time he has done that in 17 years.
A statement offered by Newington October 31, 2025 said, “The district has received complaints regarding the current football coach. The district will not comment on the allegations within those complaints and is consulting with legal counsel to complete a thorough investigation.”
Newington reiterated after the meeting he could not comment on any of the allegations.
Kalamazoo County Undersheriff Michelle Greenlee said January 12 Tyler Langs is not being investigated for any criminal activity at this time.
Newington said Tyler Langs will be able to offer a statement and address the school board with his concerns at a future board meeting.
The C-S Superintendent said the issue will likely be added to a board meeting but would not be discussed at the January 19 regular school board meeting.
Tyler Langs said he wants whats best for the Climax-Scotts School District.
“First and foremost, we love C-S. Our family has put a lot of time and effort here and we love the people here, so we’ll continue to fight that. We ultimately know God’s got a plan.
Never claimed to be perfect, but it’s one of those things that I’m willing to make changes to help out. I don’t want people to feel that way, but understand that we love C-S and we love being here,” said Langs.
Most in the public forum session came to support Tyler Langs, however there were a handful of others that offered a different perspective of the coach.
Ashley Bushouse said what she knows about Tyler is not based on rumor or social media narratives, but lived experiences.
“I have seen his family give rides to students who needed help getting home or to school. I have seen them notice the child sitting alone and offer a high five, a word of encouragement, or simply presence. These are small acts, but they are the acts that define a person who genuinely cares about kids—not just athletes, not just high performers, but every child,” said Bushouse.
“I am not asking the board to ignore concerns. I am asking the board to lead with principle. To evaluate facts carefully, to protect confidentiality, to resist public pressure, and to remember the many years of demonstrated care and service this individual and his family has given to our students,” adds Bushouse.
Jackson Bagwell, a 2025 C-S graduate of C-S, said as a football player who played for Tyler Langs, he has nothing but good things to say.
Also a wrestler, Bagwell claimed the pressure Tyler Langs put on some of the wrestlers who were football players “was unnecessary and inappropriate.”
“Not only to me, but also my other teammates. We were always micro-manged. Our weight was a big factor. If we were cutting weight, there was always a threat that we may not be able to play football next year,” said Bagwell.
The recent C-S graduate said he recalls one experience his junior year at team regionals. He claims before the team left, Tyler Langs approached him and another wrestler and discussed about how much the wrestlers were cutting weight and they may not be able to play football the following season because of the weight cutting.
“I understand that he wants our safety and we may have been cutting weight too hard, but that is not his decision to make, as to how much weight we cut. That is our parents decision. At the end of the day, the extra pressure added was not helpful at all. It made us not like him very much. During football season we saw him as a friend, and during wrestling we saw him as an enemy,” said Bagwell.
Tyler Langs said he was very thankful for the support from the audience.
“I was in tears a couple of times listening to some of the support and the people. It’s why I have my four kids here. It’s why this place is special. That’s why we love it so much. We hope that we can shed some of that light for other people to see and understand that we do care about everybody,” adds Langs.
“It was a very passionate group and they care about the district. We all want what’s best for kids,” adds Newington.
Newington said the investigation is “kind of, a little bit ongoing.” He said a summary of the charges were given to Langs and his attorney, “and they took quite awhile to get back to us.”
“There was some communication between the attorneys and that brought us to here,” said Newington.
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