At Monday evening's meeting, I spoke in support of the Warsaw School Board and to offer my opinion, based on our personal experience, with Warsaw's present basketball coach and staff. There are as many different impressions and experiences with any individual, as there are people who have contact with them. Some families may have had positive interactions with the basketball program, and I respect that, but there are also several who have not had positive experiences with this coach or program, and the board needed to have that input as well.
Warsaw School Board is taking action in a lawful and procedurally correct manner. The teacher/coach has the right to, at his request, have representation by his Teachers Association at any meeting he/she has with an administrator, parent or board. Our family met with Mr. Ogle on three occasions. On two occasions, in addition to Mr. Ogle, present were Dr. Haworth, and one or both parents. We had requested Mr. Fulkerson and Dr. Lucht as well as a member of the board, and Dr. Haworth made the decision that only Mr. Fulkerson be present. Mr. Ogle did not refute, but admitted to his statements in the situations that were addressed as our concerns. I accurately reflected the direct quoted comments made by Mr. Ogle, and admitted by him in the presence of Dr. Haworth, Mr. Fulkerson, parents and me, when I spoke at the meeting on Monday.
Procedurally, a teacher may be evaluated by his/her administrator based on years of experience, status of needed job improvement, at his/her request, or at the discretion of the administration based upon the negotiated teaching contract. The association president made the statement that he was unaware of any problems, and that would be the duty of the employee/teacher to enlist assistance if he wanted the association's involvement. This coach was afforded his opportunity to meet regarding his employment in an executive session of the board, as prescribed by Indiana Code. The board is going out of their way to again extend a second opportunity to meet with them.
The "livelihood" of Mr. Ogle is not being threatened. He is not being terminated as a teacher. He has been questioned as a coach. There is no person in any job that cannot be replaced. Good coaches have been in our community and good coaches have left. Good teachers and administrators have been in our schools and have left. Other good people replace them. Dr. Haworth directed Mr. Fulkerson not to evaluate Mr. Ogle because of "animosity," but perhaps, when made aware of patron concerns regarding Mr. Ogle, and investigating these concerns, Mr. Fulkerson should have been allowed his evaluation. To delay for a new athletic director and principal is simply "delay." The current principal has been in her position long enough to have been made aware of the community and individual concerns as has Dr. Haworth. It is difficult, as an administrator to confront employees on performance or judgment issues; however, it comes with the job. As a board, I commend you for doing your job.
This coach has, and continues to put his "pride" and his "prejudice" above what is best for students, his school, the program and for our community. He has put this corporation in positions of potential litigation based upon discrimination of students, slanderous public statements, and directives made while acting as "an agent" of this school district. It is with the power of this board that poor decision making ends. It is time for persons with personal experience of intentionally hurtful actions regarding young people to stand up and say that we can no longer support this in our community.
