NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Three difficult years after a student accused Nick Keel of inappropriate contact, the former top-performing teacher in Metro Schools was found not guilty by a jury.
In March of 2022, NewsChannel5 and other media outlets reported on Keel's arrest after Metro Police released information that a grand jury had indicted the former teacher of sexual battery by an authority figure for allegedly fondling a student. However, our newsroom knows the true impact of a story unfolds over time which is why we are committed to following through, and did so with this case.
This past January, after a four-day trial, a Davidson County jury came back with a not-guilty verdict in less than an hour.
"I think most people put their faith in systems and structures, they assume they work, and I think people who have gone through the systems maybe they realize it doesn't always go that smooth," said Nick Keel.
The accusation against Keel came in September of 2021. A struggling 13-year-old male student, who the school had recently assigned Keel to mentor, accused him of sexual contact. The school system placed Keel on administrative leave and recommended him for termination.
"I just kept waiting for a phone call or email where someone was like, 'Hey. We figured it out. You're good to come on back.' That is not what happened," Keel said.
Accusations of sexual abuse against a child are serious, but false allegations can and do happen.
In Keel's case, the allegations against him shattered his life. He lost his job, his home, his car, his reputation, and his friends. It got so bad that he was too scared to even go grocery shopping.
"Everybody knows the kind of comments and stuff that are made, you know, about people that prey on children and hurt children. And, I just, I knew that, you know, if I went out and somebody recognized me..." Keel said.
"You felt that you had a target on your back?" asked NewsChannel5's Hannah McDonald.
"Yeah. I kinda had to get pieced back together, and I did not do that by myself," Keel said.
From his mummy escape room to a murder mystery involving Julius Caesar, Keel's classes at Metro Nashville's Oliver Middle School were pretty unforgettable.
"I believe in experiential learning, so like you build up these big moments," said Nick Keel.
The same school year Keel was charged with sexual battery by an authority figure, and more than a dozen teachers and staff members quit at Oliver Middle School.
"There were a lot of factors, and I know my situation and the way it was handled was also a factor for many," Keel said.
Keel says teachers' jobs are harder than they've ever been and the supports haven't kept up.
"It's like I would tell my students. It's not if you get it right, it's literally just about effort. All I care about is effort. Right now, I just don't think we're seeing a whole lot of effort," Keel said.
Keel told us anytime you search his name online, the allegations are the first thing you see.
We know he's not the only one and that's why we created the Fresh Start program a couple of years ago. It allows some old news stories to be removed from our website if you meet certain criteria. If you'd like more information about our Fresh Start program go to NewsChannel5.com/FreshStart.
If you have more information about this story, please email me at Hannah.McDonald@newschannel5.com.
With new technology comes new ways to help people. This story shows a great use of AI that is starting to be rolled out in Tennessee. This one can help those who may be blind, deaf or neurodiverse navigate the Tennessee State Library and Archives from an app on their smart phone.
-Lelan Statom
