Today’s Board of Education hearing involving a Staples High School boys soccer coach’s contract took less time than the previous 5-1 vote, in May: 8 hours, not 14.
But the result was the same. This time by 4-2, the Board affirmed superintendent of schools Thomas Scarice’s decision to not rehire longtime freshman coach Chris O’Dell.
Members Lee Goldstein, Dorie Hordon, Neil Phillips and Abby Tolan voted to support Scarice’s decision. Robert Harrington and Jill Dillon voted against it. Kevin Christie recused himself, and was not at the day-long session in Town Hall.
Christie told “06880” that he and his family have personal connections to the Westport and Staples soccer programs.
Noting that the Board of Education “effectively serves as judge and jury,” he said, “in a traditional courtroom setting, my connections to the soccer programs would not allow me to serve as a juror.
“Due process does not allow parties to select their own jurors. I will not capitulate to external pressure impacting due process, my integrity, my family, and my decisions as a BOE member. Recusal was, and is, the right decision.”
Board of Education mediator Fred Dorsey, flanked by (from left) Dorie Hordon, chair Lee Goldstein, Neil Phillips, Jill Dillon, Abby Tolan and Robert Harrington.
O’Dell represented himself, against 2 charges: that he did not report a verbal argument between another assistant coach at a pre-season retreat over Labor Day weekend 2024, and that he was insubordinate by attending the post-season banquet the following December.
The freshman coach attempted to make a number of arguments, to prove that Scarice’s decision was “arbitrary and capricious.”
As happened in May — when the BOE heard an appeal by former head coach Russell Oost-Lievense, regarding the same 2 incidents — the Board’s mediator, Fred Dorsey, sustained nearly every objection from Thomas Mooney, the attorney for Scarice, Staples principal Stafford Thomas, and director of athletics VJ Sarullo.
From time to time Dorsey showed O’Dell — who owns a residential design-build firm, and is not a lawyer — a bit of leeway, helping him frame questions and allowing him to ask procedural questions.
Chris O’Dell (center), with his daughter Addison, and former Staples boys soccer head coach Russell Oost-Lievense.
Nearly 30 attendees — soccer parents and others interested in the board’s handling of coaches — moved into the lobby twice, while the BOE deliberated in executive session for 45 minutes each time.
O’Dell objected to those sessions, urging the board not to rehash testimony that had already been given in May.
“Arbitrary and capricious is the only thing that matters,” he said. He also defended himself against what he called attacks on his character.
One point of contention was a voicemail from Sarullo to O’Dell, regarding his attendance at the banquet. Sarullo told the coach to call him on the office line he was calling from, or text him.
O’Dell said that Sarullo never responded to his own voicemail in reply. Sarullo replied that O’Dell’s failure to text him showed negligence on his part.
From left: Board of Education attorney Tom Mooney, superintendent of schools Thomas Scarice, Staples principal Stafford Thomas, Staples athletic director VJ Sarullo. (All photos/Dan Woog)
Scarice testified that O’Dell’s “level of hostility” — along with the recommendation of Sarullo and Thomas — played a role in his non-renewal decision.
The superintendent knew his decision might be divisive. He acknowledged that employment issues are never easy. But he reiterated his belief that he made the right decision in this case.
O’Dell questioned Scarice about his offer in May to bring the coach back, with conditions. The superintendent countered that he had been urged to talk with the coach by community and school members, but that no mediation was offered.
There was discussion too about a phone conversation in which Scarice taped O’Dell, without his knowledge — something Scarice said he had never done with another employee. O’Dell claimed this was evidence of arbitrary and capricious behavior, but Mooney’s objection was sustained.
O’Dell asked Scarice why he had not responded during a BOE meeting in January, when a student alleged that the incident at the retreat included physical abuse. O’Dell said that Scarice already knew that charge was false.
Board policy is to not reply to public comment, Scarice said. However, O’Dell responded, chair Lee Goldstein thanked the student for his testimony, adding “good job.”
O’Dell brought up other situations that he said showed Scarice, Thomas and Sarullo acting arbitrarily and capriciously.
They included a meeting in another town between Sarullo and boys tennis coach Kris Hrisovulos, after his own non-renewal was dismissed on procedural grounds. Sarullo denied O’Dell’s charge that at that meeting, the athletic director apologized to Hrisovulos for the way that situation was handled.
Chris O’Dell
O’Dell also brought up situations — one involving a serious head injury to an opposing player, and another in which a Staples player was bullied by an opponent — in an attempt to show that his actions there were consistent with his handling of the incident at the retreat. Sarullo denied they were similar.
In the end, 7 hours of sometimes heated testimony — and an hour of deliberation by the Board of Education — came down to a final vote.
Like Oost-Lievense in May, the majority affirmed the non-renewal decision.
O’Dell was not there to hear the verdict. He had a practice at Fairfield Warde High School.
This past summer, he and Oost-Lievense were hired to coach soccer in the neighboring town.
Early in the proceedings, Scarice had been asked if was concerned about the safety of players at Warde, under O’Dell and Oost-Lievense.
“I’m not the superintendent of Fairfield,” he replied.
