For several months, Chris O’Dell tried to get a response to the non-renewal of his contract as Staples High School boys freshman soccer coach, by superintendent of schools Thomas Scarice.
O’Dell was ready for a Board of Education hearing on 4 dates, in March, April and June. Each time, the board balked.
Finally, 3 weeks ago, Scarice agreed to meet. Unknown to O’Dell, the superintendent recorded their conversation.
Chris O’Dell
The freshman coach raised that issue this morning, in the public comment portion of the BOE meeting.
“I won’t be bullied, embarrassed or blackmailed to not call out this abhorrent behavior,” O’Dell told the board.
After O’Dell’s 2 minutes were up, Scarice responded. He told the BOE that while the meeting was supposed to be confidential, he felt the need to tape it due to numerous “false statements” circulating about the case.
“Even if he felt he had to record what he said, he should have let me know,” O’Dell told “06880” after the board meeting. “What he did was completely unethical.”
The Board has offered one new date for O’Dell’s non-renewal hearing: July 23.
The coach told the board that it conflicts with a family vacation.