PIERRE, S.D. — A former Sturgis teacher has had his license permanently revoked following decisions made this week by the State Education Department.
Chris West was one of two west river teachers to have their licenses revoked.
State Education Secretary Joseph Graves says West had his license revoked after he came to work intoxicated. During the state investigation, West said he was resigning and leaving education.
The license of St. Francis Indian School counselor Keiton Guess was revoked after a domestic incident at his home where he allegedly assaulted a woman he was seeing and “caused a serious likelihood of injury to his daughter.”
The teaching license McIntosh principal Scott Klaudt has also been suspended as part of a plea agreement. Klaudt was suspended until June 30, 2025, for violating subsections 1, 2, 3 and 7 of the state rule listing a teacher’s obligations to students.
Klaudt had previously pled guilty to a misdemeanor charge of theft while serving as a principal at New Salem-Almost school district in North Dakota. He resigned as principal there and was hired at McIntosh. His North Dakota license was suspended until June 30, 2023.
The penalties are among the latest handed down by the state Education Department.
They are based on recommendations from the South Dakota Professional Teachers Practices and Standards Commission and the South Dakota Professional Administrators Practices and Standards Commission.
