Former SJU Player Dismissed as Coach

Alex9045 said:
Really unfortunate story...
longisland.news12.com

Community rallies behind former coach after controversial dismissal

Wright, a Copiague native and standout athlete who once led the high school girls’ basketball team to a state championship in 2003, says she was dismissed for taking players to a St. John’s University basketball game in January
longisland.news12.com
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There are many, many ways to retaliate for stupidity. Don't know or trust the details described but strongly believe that far too many folks with a little bit of authority forget that they are on two-way, not one-way streets.
 
fuchsia said:
There are many, many ways to retaliate for stupidity. Don't know or trust the details described but strongly believe that far too many folks with a little bit of authority forget that they are on two-way, not one-way streets.
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Disagree. The penalty was a bit harsh but when a bunch of hs girls take a trip.into the city with their basketball coach, if something horrible happened the school district could be held accountable for not following procedures, having chaperones, etc. This is the world we live in.

Kia is in the SJU HOF.

Perhaps the trip was an excuse and not the whole reason.
 
This is a tough one. She said the trip was through a non profit NOT the school district. Parental consent (permission slips) was given.

However, we don’t know if the school had written procedures for reporting “field trips”. I assume they do. Unfortunately she seems to forget that she is an EMPLOYEE of the District and needs to abide by their rules.

Tough that zero tolerance (dismissal) was the result. Maybe the District could have used this as a refresher to all employees as to what the policies and requirements are.

Maybe we don’t have all the facts. Was she warned that this trip needed approval? Did someone complain?

Bottom line, looks like they have the right to fire her. Just wonder why so draconian.
 
Is this a full time job or something she was doing on the side? If it's the latter, then they would obviously have a much lower bar for terminating her.

Update: Just read the whole story (duh!). It's a seasonal job, not secured by a long-term contract.
 
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Redenbacher said:
Is this a full time job or something she was doing on the side? If it's the latter, then they would obviously have a much lower bar for terminating her.

Update: Just read the whole story (duh!). It's a seasonal job, not secured by a long-term contract.
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Many hs and some college coaching jobs are pt. Most of the Catholic league hs jobs are pt. About 20 years ago, Molloy college required that all their coaches have college degrees.

Considering some of the nightmarish accusations and events involving coaches and players (one very prominent city hs bball program comes to mind) there are now rules in place that prohibit coaches from being alone with a player or players in situations that put the player at risk, rules on transportation, etc.

Even part time coaches know the drill. Nearly every day there's an article (usually in the Post) about teachers who cross the line and develop relationships with students.

More than likely Kia's intentions were all above board, but I'd be pretty sure parents wete unaware this wasn't a school sanctioned trip.

I hope they got free sju tix though 😉

As an addendum when my daughter played varsity at an all girls Catholic school, they hired a 26 year old male (jerk) who preseason went bowling with the team. To this day another parent I know still brings thus up. The school AD didn't thing there was anything wrong with a 26 yr old socializing with 16-18 yr old girls.

Ironically, same school a couple ofbyears ago had a 19 year old volunteer assistant soccer coach get arrested for a sexual relationship with a 15 year old player. Once arrested, the 19 year old committed suicide. The school should have been on that before it happened, allowingva teenaged boy help coach a team
 
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Saw her interviewed on TV news this afternoon and saw parents at school board meeting. Kia had the support of the parents in the meeting, and she had permission slips for all who went. wish she did not take them to the Uconn game but rather took them to a game we won so we might have had a recruiting edge if any good players on her team
 
Beasts of the East said:
Disagree. The penalty was a bit harsh but when a bunch of hs girls take a trip.into the city with their basketball coach, if something horrible happened the school district could be held accountable for not following procedures, having chaperones, etc. This is the world we live in.

Kia is in the SJU HOF.

Perhaps the trip was an excuse and not the whole reason.
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Beast, each parent signed a Consent Form. It was a trip to a game on Campus, not Manhattan. As for the second part of your statement, there may be an underlying reason. The fact that Coach Wright has the support of parents and the community. shows the respect that she has earned during her time there.
 
panther2 said:
Beast, each parent signed a Consent Form. It was a trip to a game on Campus, not Manhattan. As for the second part of your statement, there may be an underlying reason. The fact that Coach Wright has the support of parents and the community. shows the respect that she has earned during her time there.
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Panther, I'm not defaming Kia in any way whatsoever as to her intentions or behaviors. Schools have implemented very strict protocols to protect students (and teachers and coaches to a lesser extent) because of what can and has gone wrong.

Despite asserting this was a trip sponsored by Wright's foundation, the school disagreed sunce Wight is a Copaigue coach and they are Copaigue students. In any event, despite the obvious good willed benefits, it's imperative that teachers and coaches limit their contact with students to school sanctioned activities which I believe is at the heart of her dismissal.

I hope this breach of protocol does not limit Kia's future opportunities to work with kids. I coached a hirl's AAU team along with an assistant who was a varsity college player. The players revered and listened to her instruction so intently that I literally took a step back and let her run practices and in game coaching. I'm sure that Wright, who was a highly touted hs star who transferred to sju and was a star for us, is as highly regarded by players hoping to achieve her success. Great role model!
 
To coach or volunteer at my daughter's Catholic grammar school, I'm required to take what amounts to an anti-pedophilia course called "Protecting God's Children." Wonder what prompted that?

I begrudgingly did. It lasted five hours and I wanted to bang my head against the desk within the first 10 minutes. Did you know pedophilia is bad?

The certificate (they actually give one) lasts for only three years and then you have to take the course again.

I refused and a school short on volunteers lost one because of an incredibly stupid policy that is meant to cover the diocese's ass and nothing more.

Rules have unintended consequences. Stupid rules have even worse consequences like a popular coach getting fired for taking kids to a basketball game.
 
MainMan said:
To coach or volunteer at my daughter's Catholic grammar school, I'm required to take what amounts to an anti-pedophilia course called "Protecting God's Children." Wonder what prompted that?

I begrudgingly did. It lasted five hours and I wanted to bang my head against the desk within the first 10 minutes. Did you know pedophilia is bad?

The certificate (they actually give one) lasts for only three years and then you have to take the course again.

I refused and a school short on volunteers lost one because of an incredibly stupid policy that is meant to cover the diocese's ass and nothing more.

Rules have unintended consequences. Stupid rules have even worse consequences like a popular coach getting fired for taking kids to a basketball game.
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I coach HS basketball and it is incredibly hard to find coaches to help for the same reasons. The clearance process is sometimes insufferably time consuming and it’s only getting more difficult. Theres plenty of guys who want to coach, but then I give them a two page packet of all the courses and certifications they’ll have to take the next 6 months. Just to complete many of them again in a couple years.
 
we talk about end less lu how Young people need role models and here you have a fantastic role model that kids look to be with in their Spare Time. We live in such a sick and twisted society.
Poor Kia, poor players , poor parents.
 
MainMan said:
To coach or volunteer at my daughter's Catholic grammar school, I'm required to take what amounts to an anti-pedophilia course called "Protecting God's Children." Wonder what prompted that?

I begrudgingly did. It lasted five hours and I wanted to bang my head against the desk within the first 10 minutes. Did you know pedophilia is bad?

The certificate (they actually give one) lasts for only three years and then you have to take the course again.

I refused and a school short on volunteers lost one because of an incredibly stupid policy that is meant to cover the diocese's ass and nothing more.

Rules have unintended consequences. Stupid rules have even worse consequences like a popular coach getting fired for taking kids to a basketball game.
Click to expand...
I too had to take the course to coach a summer traveling softball team which had about half the team from a north jersey catholic hs, including my daughter, even though the team had no affiliation whatsoever with the school.
Suffice to say, I was as disgusted as you were with what was essentially a stomach churning, useless dog and pony show with virtually no real value.

As for the situation with the coach, sounds to me like a solid lady going above and beyond. Not knowing any of the circumstances other than what is here, if the parents signed off on it, and the school wasn’t involved in any way, IMO, it is none of their damn business. Not a lawyer, but it seems logical the coach represents the school when acting in that coaching capacity, not for what occurs when not. But with the obsession with filing suit, maybe I am wrong.
 
Beasts of the East said:
Panther, I'm not defaming Kia in any way whatsoever as to her intentions or behaviors. Schools have implemented very strict protocols to protect students (and teachers and coaches to a lesser extent) because of what can and has gone wrong.

Despite asserting this was a trip sponsored by Wright's foundation, the school disagreed sunce Wight is a Copaigue coach and they are Copaigue students. In any event, despite the obvious good willed benefits, it's imperative that teachers and coaches limit their contact with students to school sanctioned activities which I believe is at the heart of her dismissal.

I hope this breach of protocol does not limit Kia's future opportunities to work with kids. I coached a hirl's AAU team along with an assistant who was a varsity college player. The players revered and listened to her instruction so intently that I literally took a step back and let her run practices and in game coaching. I'm sure that Wright, who was a highly touted hs star who transferred to sju and was a star for us, is as highly regarded by players hoping to achieve her success. Great role model!
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I did not take it as you defaming her, just wanted to reiterate the fact that she had the approval of her players parents. I believe that using this trip to terminate her is nonsense. Not sure what the real reason is, but I am waiting to see who they choose as yhe new coach.
 
MainMan said:
To coach or volunteer at my daughter's Catholic grammar school, I'm required to take what amounts to an anti-pedophilia course called "Protecting God's Children." Wonder what prompted that?

I begrudgingly did. It lasted five hours and I wanted to bang my head against the desk within the first 10 minutes. Did you know pedophilia is bad?

The certificate (they actually give one) lasts for only three years and then you have to take the course again.

I refused and a school short on volunteers lost one because of an incredibly stupid policy that is meant to cover the diocese's ass and nothing more.

Rules have unintended consequences. Stupid rules have even worse consequences like a popular coach getting fired for taking kids to a basketball game.
Click to expand...
In the rooklyn diocese I had to take a course entitled Virtus certification. In it, they made the point to emphasize that sexual abuse by Catholic clergy was not at a rate disproportionate to other groups- scout leaders, teachers, other faith's clergy, etc. I permanently drew the ire of my pastor (who became an au x bishop) when I raised my hand and said, "This is all eyewash. Over 400 priests in this diocese over the past 40 years have had credible accusations of sexual abuse against them? How many coaches?"

Needless to say, all organizations involving minor aged children must build in safeguards to protect kids, no matter how tedious some may seem.

Great that parents signed consent forms. They were likely forms developed by the school and likely just one of many requirements insofar as notification, approval, suitable chaperones, transportation, etc.
 
Beast, unless I am misreading the story the trip was not authorized by the school district. The story states that the trip was run through her non profit called Kwiet Storm. Sounds like the “consent forms” were from the non profit not the school district. Her defense is that it had NOTHING to do with the district or her job. The District says otherwise.

We all probably need a lawyer.
 
sjc88 said:
Beast, unless I am misreading the story the trip was not authorized by the school district. The story states that the trip was run through her non profit called Kwiet Storm. Sounds like the “consent forms” were from the non profit not the school district. Her defense is that it had NOTHING to do with the district or her job. The District says otherwise.

We all probably need a lawyer.
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Not really the point. She is a school employee who took her kids on a trip. Whether or not it was a school trip or not is irrelevant. My wife was a school teacher who took a ton a school trips sanctioned and approved by the school to competitions around the country. Not once did she or would she have taken a student anywhere without letting the school know, which she never did. If anything untowards had happened - an accident, an assault, you csn be certain the school district would be party to a civil suit. That's one reason all districts have controls in place and all teachers know to maintain proper boundaries between them and students.

Far better a dismissal occurred as a result of breach of policy than because of something that happened on a trip the school should have been made aware of.

Having said that, unless other reasons a suspension would have been far better for all. She IS a hometown hero.
 
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This thread should be renamed the Rush to Judgment special. I don’t know that anyone posting here knows enough to judge whether the schools action was justified. I sure don’t.
 
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