“06880” founder and executive editor Dan Woog writes:
This is not going away.
The Board of Education, superintendent of schools, and Staples High principal and athletic director may hope that the tsunami of outrage following the non-renewal of boys soccer head coach Russell Oost-Lievense will disappear soon.
School will be out in a month. Certainly then, the thinking goes, students, parents and alumni will move on to another concern.
But that is magical thinking. It’s as unconnected to reality as the 14-hour “appeal hearing” in which 8 people were not allowed to testify, crucial evidence was withheld from the Board, and administrators (over and over) “did not recall.”
This is not going away. In fact, much worse lies ahead.
Despite what some think, this has gone far beyond a “soccer coach” issue. The 7-month process revealed an astonishing lack of guidance for coaches; arbitrary and capricious discipline across other Staples sports, and a complete absence of due process.
Taxpayers are seeing how much money is being spent in cases involving top administrators.
Parents across the board – in sports, academics, extracurriculars and special education – are coming forward with stories about disrespect and poor treatment. They are legion.
And students are watching.
At Town Hall last week, and again at Staples 4 days later, they saw their anger and concerns brushed aside, dismissed, even mocked.
They heard that Westport holds its coaches, teachers and students to a high standard. Yet they have seen over and over that the standards for an investigation, or an appeal hearing, can be appallingly low.
And though this has moved beyond a soccer-only situation, the entire school saw that a near-70-year-old program that earned national renown has been decimated.
Not once since October has the athletic director, principal or superintendent reached out to the 60 young men in the boys soccer program and asked, “How are you doing?”
The saddest part in this nobody-wins drama is that it did not have to be this way.
For 7 months, those in power could have found a solution. They could have reached out, talked, planned next steps to help the soccer coach and program, improve policies and procedures, and avoid a townwide uproar.
No one in power took those steps. And now – in the aftermath of what is widely seen as an immensely flawed hearing, and despite even more offers to avoid even more uproar – they are doubling down on their decision.
In a school district that decries bullying, students have learned that adults can be bullies too. Students learned that quiet discussion, compromise and resolution can be viewed as weakness. They learned life-long lessons about arrogance, stubbornness and cowardice.
This is not going away. Buckle up.
As well it shouldn’t! What kind of example are these adults setting for the students
Westporters, see the trend….
there are many disenfranchised groups of citizens involved in very different situations. the common denominator to all of these events: there has been a lack of transparency, no planning and strategy to care for all parties, groups disregarded and disrespected. I could throw more adjectives at this, but you get the point. Please reply to this comment or post your own if you have been in one of those groups or one not mentioned. Some groups of citizens that come to mind, the community gardeners, the neighbors of the Long school by the preserve and downstream of the project, neighbors with encroaching fields and lights approaching, people of Saugatuck Shores, Saugatuck and the town at large facing horrific challenges with the Hamlet project, the neighbors of Barron South, who have had clear cutting proposed to put a garden in that location, the merchants of downtown who have yet to be supported for parking needs for their employees, all citizens who have had their rights altered to petition the RTM. Again the list goes on and on all of these situations, have one thing in common, lack of transparency, collaboration, and solution based approaches. I am saddened that we support our own tribe instead of all of us supporting any aggrieved party that smacks with injustice wherever it occurs for our neighbors!
You are so correct Janine, that laundry list is long of disenfranchised groups who have been forced to accept poor decisions, borne of utter non transparency and sneaky behind the scenes negotiations which we all know are happening. Just sadly we have no proof of such meetings or conversations, to back it up with dates and times.
It’s a disgrace.
This staples coach travesty must not be allowed to get diluted by summer vacation etc..
this is the tip of the iceberg.
I’m sure that is the hope, people will move on.
Or be bullied with litigious letters. Oh or just plain dismissed as a crack pot, as the town loves to do.
Well, 2 can play at that game.
I hope there is a satisfactory outcome for this and lessons learned for future select people, RTM. and boards the public elect.
The foot soldiers on the RTM, especially those who trip over themselves to vote in absolute opposition to the opinion of their constituents take note.
We will.
REMEMBER IN NOVEMBER
What she said!
Excellent and salient comment, Janine.
Add to the list: the invitation-only READY-FIRE-AIM CTDOT meeting to announce the replacement of the Cribari Bridge without even beginning the environmental and traffic studies mandates put in place by our former First Selectman and lifted at the same time as a $12,000,000 opportunity was gifted to The Hamlet by the present FSW.
Would also like to add the neighbors on Hillandale who lost a significant number of trees and wildlife thanks to the clear cutting for the expanded CDOT facility.
yes Kate one of latest travesties of communication malpractice by the FSW.
I think two very different things are being conflated here. When the town makes decisions about things like Long Lots/the gardeners, etc., they are made at public hearings where people are free to speak and provide their input. These hearings take place over months, sometimes years, and are publicly noticed. Some people are not going to like the decisions made, but that in no way means they have been disregarded/disrespected/not heard. These are decisions made by your peers in what they think are the best interests of the collective, and your arguments did not carry the day. No resident is entitled to a decision that he or she likes.
Here, by contrast, it seems like pertinent evidence may have been excluded without a good explanation.
When I moved to town, I was offered a job to assistant coach the Staples water polo teams. I would have loved it, but the pay was so small that I would have ended up in the red paying for babysitters so that I could coach. So I went in and volunteered when I could. People who coach generally do it out of love for the kids. And because parents aren’t being parents, the kids are getting harder to coach. The coaches deserve our thanks and, at the very least, a fair hearing. If that is what took place, it would be helpful if the people in charge should explained why.
the conflation was made about the procedures, transparency and communication an F- for all the listed town issues.
Christine, with all due respect, to this non-interested observer, it did seem like the the fix to destroy the community garden was in, long before a single public hearing was held on the matter. And those who made the decision found people to carry out a public charade.
This is not just about people not liking a decision. This was yet another example of a broken system here in Westport.
Cynicicsm and distrust of government is the result when people are asked for input into a decision that has alreay been made.
I am confident that there are many people who are upset with how the soccer coaches matter has been handled, who were also happy with how the LL school matter was handled.
Your side winning or losing is not really the point of all this. Might does not make right. Fairness and transparency is what we are taught to expect from our elected officials. And when neither is on display, we all lose.
Fantastic piece, Dan…so well said…and I couldn’t agree more with your words…what is the administration thinking???
GOD DAMN RIGHT
Unless, somehow, accountability decides to show up before school lets out this is NOT going away.
So eloquently articulated. Such an immensely disappointing and frustrating situation. Thank you for this and your ongoing coverage and support.
👏🏼
Years ago, when we moved from Forest Hills in 1948, a local neighbor stopped by one morning to advise the “folks from the city,” that they had a skunk in their woodpile. Who knew, but our beagle found it and paid the price. Several large cans of tomato juice in a wash pail in the back yard and he still carried the skunk’s defensive perry with him. Pete the beagle slept on the back porch for a week.
A skunk in the woodpile may not seem an obvious parallel, but it should serve to highlight what happens when ignorance prevails and souls, canine or otherwise get hurt as a result. If Westport has a skunk in our woodpile, then it is incumbent on each of us to find it, warn people of the damage it is doing and make Westport safe for all of us.
Perhaps it’s time to reassess some of the folks making what seem to be arbitrary decisions impacting the quality of education and other critical functions in our town. Coasting on reputation is a sure-fire way to backslide. That would be a pity, considering what great work and results have come from being vigilant, recruiting the best people and funding Westport schools so generously. I think it might be time to do a deep dive in the woodpile and see what might be lurking. Westport should demand no less.
Rhetorical Question (for the peanut gallery). What would you do differently if you could do it over again?
Not sure if I’m a member of the peanut gallery, but here’s an idea for starters.
The Board of Education says, “You know what? We made a decision in good faith, based on the information we were given. Now we realize that we were not given all the information, from people who would testify and other sources, that we needed to make our decision. In the best interest of all concerned — the coaches, the student-athletes, the town — let’s sit down now and come up with a solution.
“We’ll bring Russell back. We’ll talk about policies and procedures, and put in place a communication plan for next year involving him, the athletic director and principal. We’ll figure out the best way to train and supervise all our coaches, for everything we expect of them. We’ll reiterate to parents that when there’s an issue, the first contact is with the coach; then comes the AD, principal and superintendent — no jumping the line.
“We understand that this has been a painful event for everyone. We look forward to working together, to do what we all want: provide the best experience we can – in the classroom, on the athletic field, in extracurriculars — for every student and every staff member in Westport.”
Just to clarify, the child didn’t file the complaint, the parent did. And no one is asking the students that were on the retreat to “confront the student”. There should have been a real investigation where the 30+ people who actually witnessed the so called “incident” could confirm what really happened. This is not about the student at all, and no one is faulting the student. This is about the adults involved. The way that the parents reported it, the timing of that report, and how the administration handled it. And they handled it poorly. And they need to fix this.
And not sure why you were allowed to post with that “name”.
Dan, You’re so intelligent! You have my vote to change the name of Westport to WOOGPORT.
I am not sure why the ATHLETIC DIRECTOR is not running the show here from hiring, to training, to supervision to enforcement of the various contractual mandates to termination. You got too many cooks in the kitchen now with Mommy/Daddy looking over their shoulder. Simplify.
1. Term Limits for all elected and appointed offices.
2. Term Limits for the Town Attorney so that they are not a permanent presence an unelected czar.
3. Ombudsman (Ombudsperson?) appointed per Terry Branigan’s suggestion to hold elected and appointed officials in check. One for the Town and one for BOE.
4. Budget for each commission and body (P&Z, RTM, BOF, etc) to hire their own attorney in situations when their institutional prerogaive and rights may be in conflict with other bodies and the Selectman’s office.
5. Reduce the RTM to a 9 person body (1 per district) to encourage a higher level of commitment and accountability.
This would be a good start.
Excellent recommendations John. Especially number 5. Bringing more accountability to the RTM is way past due. How could we make this happen?
Professional City Manager. Yeah, I know I say it all the time but this town and high school are certainly not acting “blue ribbon.” Dang embarrassment.
Dan
You are a great advocate for doing the right thing! Thank you.
I am new to your community and not familiar with any of the names or for that matter the roles f the individuals involved, but that really doesn’t matter. That is because the comments made by Dan in this post so resonate with me. The adults are acting like children and the students are acting like the adults in the room. When are the administrators going to have to justify their approach and actually explain the real reasons behind the terminations and provide the forums for all voices to be heard. For a town that prides itself on its compassion and understanding, this needs further scrutiny and some heads need to roll.
The implications for the election in November are pretty big, too. I won’t be voting for BOE candidate Abby Tolan, among others, because of her lockstep participation in this sham. I hope better candidates emerge in the coming months.
Well said Dan. Keeping a town informed and having a platform for all to share their ideas is priceless. You speak with passion, concern and respect for all . Thank you for your continued efforts to eloquently share this and other vital stories that affect us all
Not once since October has the athletic director, principal or superintendent reached out to the 60 young men in the boys soccer program and asked, “How are you doing?”
Where is the accountability from these three? Maybe I’m missing something, but the presence of a personal issue between the so-called athletic director and this particular coach is painfully obvious. This is somebody’s life we are talking about.
As a sitting Board of Education member I am still waiting for one single Board of Ed member to come out and defend / justify the thoroughness of the investigation that was carried out here? Will they defend it?
Just one member?
I’ve reached out to several BOE members asking for them to explain their positions, and have not received any answers. Only offers to have conversations. They are unwilling to put in writing why they made their decisions, because they are indefensible. They all need to be voted out.
Here is what i hope comes out of this. Staples NEEDS an Athletic Association. Many of our neighboring towns have them. Our process around resources is dysfunctional. Our bleachers are near collapse our locker rooms are gross, our porto bathrooms are laughable. Most importantly, athletics needs representation within town management. Athletics are crucial to college recruiting. The head of a new Staples Athletic Association should have a seat on the Board of Ed, as athletics and academics are tied together. We are spending 100 million on an elementary school and we only have 1 high school that has succeeded only because of the coaches, players, captains, parents and boosters, with minimal support from the town. These are our kids, and our future, at the most important time in their lives. Lets step it up, be role models, and prepare Staples for the next decade.
You make some fair points, but lost me at, “The head of a new Staples Athletic Association should have a seat on the Board of Ed”? Talk about the tail wagging the dog.
I had hoped to watch the hearing livd on the town website but it was not streamed. Is there a tape of the hearing? If not, is there at least a transcript that is available to the public? Thanks.
Getting back to the sham meeting… I thought the Town Attorney was responsible for the proper conduct of all Town meetings. Surely a reading of the files would be warranted.
Time for someone to fire the entire school chain of command l , reverse their decisions, and field a new team.
Dan, excellent. As a former Westporter. But justice is being halted all over the country. Different discussion however. Been following all of the posts about the coaches and the lost garden 😪
Why has Coach Chris been dropped from all of this? The photos of that poor man moved me to tears. He looked so beaten down. Is he forgotten here? Just wondering not criticizing.
Press on for a just resolution!! Don’t let this drop and disappear into Compo summer.
Chris O’Dell (non-renewed freshman coach) has not been forgotten. His hearing is June 2.
Cool.
Thanks BJ. I appreciate that. I’m still here. My hearing is June 2nd. I go into that well aware that I will not be getting a fair hearing. My team and I will have to consider how to approach that given those facts.
Be sending good thoughts to you, Chris. And that is my daughter’s and my sister’s birthdays so it is a blessed day in my view.😊
The one Board Member who asked the meaningful questions about the absurdity of the high school’s conduct and lack of procedures was told to be quiet, threatened with prosecution and told his concern and duty to his positions would wind up costing the Board more money in legal fees, the fees we pay. Please people, be very concerned and vocal and intolerant and electoral in your actions. And the moment you hear the voice that says but there was a bullied child here, be aware…be very aware, that never happened and the moment the inept athletic director “called it in” to the State he was told there was nothing worthy of a report and no action would be taken…. No investigation, no interviews, nothing….and the alleged failure to report that non incident has caused all this outrage and misery. Dan is so right.. the school had an off-ramp and could ah e taken the right step forward for all..instead it soiled the bed and then 5/6 of our elected Board set that mess ablaze while one member refused to even show up to listen. And the silence of others is deafening. November, people, November.
Keep seeing this in your mind’s eye, everyone: A lawyer FOR the BOE told a BOE member(!!) to keep his mouth shut & toe the line OR ELSE!!!
An EMPLOYEE of the BOE threatened his/her BOSS!
Time for Lawsuits and DEPOSITIONS!
ASIDE: Also, on a parallel track, time for BOE to bring on a conflict consultant to review the situation and recommend (really require) adoption of conflict resolution procedures. You know, that old GETTING TO YES, kumbaya thing.
By the way, Tom S. — IF you want to SAVE your job, THEN sometime during July you will announce you have accepted, “with reluctance,” the resignations of the Staples AD and the Staples principal. You do so, reluctantly as they are good people, because they misinformed you, however unwittingly, about factual matters, re SOCCERGATE, that led you to support the position you took. Going forward now, we must all etc. etc.
See how easy that is, Tom? The recourse developed for many an administrator by more wise (much more wise) lawyers cf one of the best: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clark_Clifford
Just a been-around-the-block kibitzer from 3000 miles away.
Well said, Dan. It’s appalling the way this has, and is continuing to be handled. This is not the school system I grew up with, and this is not what I wanted for my kids when we moved back here. Something has to give. And it better be the board.
Dan has been astute and insightful by telling it how it is. This is not going away. Either the powers that be take Dan’s suggestion or people should be fired. At high levels. We should not accept this authoritarianism. Where is the leadership from the First Selectperson in all this?
It’s painfully obvious that the key players in this psychdrama are more interested in preserving their power and entrenched self interests than serving the community to which they bear responsibilty. At this point I can sense their reluctance to seek a reasonable compromise or even admit their failings. They need to go.
Spot on, Dan! The Board of Education’s role is to provide oversight and hold the administration accountable. While the goals of both should align—our children are always priority #1—the boards defaulting to decisions based on ‘good faith’ has consistently proven to be reckless.
Thank you, Dan. Very insightful. Now it raises a new question: would you return to coaching Staples Boys Soccer?
Good for you Dan
Sad, sad, sad😢. So glad you wrote this so that we oldtimers could see what’s happening there. It breaks my heart. Keep at it, Dan.