Championship

Coaches Fired-

Free Speech Expelled-

Neighborhood Council Education Forum Exposes All-

by Tom Topping

"When our children are telling us they're being threatened by the Principal... there's something wrong!" said Robert, one of the alarmed parents who attended and spoke out at an education forum put on by the Eagle Rock Neighborhood Council, on Saturday, February 16, 2008. He went on to say, "I spoke to coaches this morning... they were threatened, and I was threatened... we were told specifically that if we spoke, we would have repercussions." These words, from this parent, who is also a teaching assistant at the school, supported what many others had been saying. They said school leaders were trying to silence any voices who might be critical of them.

Earlier, this reporter's calls to coaches revealed precious little. They were reluctant to talk. Students, who were marching on Yosemite Drive right before today's meeting, either refused to talk to the press, or would not identify themselves at all. Worse, some Eagle Rock High School Alumni Association leaders would not talk either. They said subtle messages from school leaders were clear: "If you speak, there will be repercussions."

But this morning, when this meeting got underway, in a combination of courage and emotion, all the rumors, complaints and accusations came out in a huge rush. The situation had snowballed. Like a boiler, the more Principal Salvador Velasco clamped down, the more the pressure increased until the situation could do nothing but explode.

Eagle Rock High School is considered by many in the community as a very good place to send their kids to school. It is also a place where teachers like to work. They often stay their whole career here. The community is supportive. A very active and well funded Alumni Association is in constant support, and many ERHS alumni still live nearby, giving huge attendance to every football game in the season. They simply love their old school.

The wick on this long standing affinity was turned up even further in the last couple of years as the Eagles completed back to back championship seasons. Everyone was proud of the team, and of all who made those championships possible, including, of course, the coaches.

Indeed, it is the coaches that the players credit most for those championship years. They are credited with a lot more, too. A written statement by Andrew Trejo was read aloud by Marcus Rodriguez during the ERNC forum on February 16th. He said about head football Coach Chou:

"Coach Chou taught us football, but he taught us about life. He has shaped us not only as student athletes, but as better people. Through him, we have learned to work hard, and be honest, and not cheat ourselves or anyone else. This is an honest coach. He is the coach that (benched) Jeremy Camacho, an all-city Quarterback for two games because he missed a few days of practice. He benched Jose Navarro, an all-city receiver and record holder of touchdowns in a game, season, and career, and record holder for most kickoff returns in a season for one game (for missing) practice. He disciplines us, and it doesn't matter who you are, if you screw around you will face the consequences."

Thus, students, parents, alumni and community alike were shocked to hear that teacher, mentor and coach Chou had been fired from his coaching position. (five other coaches as well)

From everything I've heard and read, the story of his firing is sort of convoluted, but here it is, as accurate as I can get it, so please bear with me.

Basketball coach Katto was holding varsity basketball practice in the gym, when freshman/sophomore basketball coach Drew Lord (husband of assistant principal Janet Lord) came into the gym wanting to use it to take photos of his team. Coach Katto, the Varsity basketball coach, was holding varsity practice at the time and did not want it interrupted by a photo session. An argument ensued, ending in Katto's suggestion that they "Take it outside." Whether he meant to challenge Coach Lord to a fight or simply to continue their argument in private, away from the view of the students is not clear. But the principal had to step in.

What Mr. Velasco apparently did, was to reprimand Coach Katto, and require him to publicly apologize to Coach Drew Lord and his team. According to those at the public meeting, Mr. Lord was not reprimanded for the altercation. When the other coaches heard about that, they were not happy for a variety of reasons. Mostly, I think, because they have their own hierarchy, with the varsity football and basketball and the coaches with the most seniority at the top, and the junior and freshman and less popular sports coaches at the bottom. The principal's actions threw a wrench into their order, forcing one of the most senior members to apologize to one of the most junior. They also knew that the Junior Coach Lord, was married to the assistant principal, and suspected that relationship tilted the scales of justice away from their colleague. (The LAUSD personnel commission rule 720, does not allow close relatives to work in the same unit, with one supervising the other. Sources close to the school administration allege that Janet Lord has some supervisory capacity over her husband, but those claims are presently undetermined.)

Coach Chou, if you believe the way the way the students and parents talk of him, is the kind of man that is among the precious few and far between these days. He was willing to put his principles first, and he did that many times by having some of the best players sit out games as punishment for various bad behaviors. He was loyal, I think, to the other coaches and the hierarchy that he was indoctrinated in as he came through the coaching ranks. But most of all, he was upset that this principal was interfering in the sports programs in a way that no other Eagle Rock High Principal had ever done before. He submitted his letter of resignation to the Principal in protest.

He changed his mind the next day, and tried to rescind the resignation, but the principal did not look at it kindly. At the February 16 meeting, Principal Velasco spelled out how he saw it. "He (Chou) came into my office and said, 'If you don't rescind my resignation, I'm taking my friends (the other coaches) with me.'" Velasco continued, "I don't think our school deserves to be held hostage that way."

From his words, it looked like Mr. Velasco's mind was made up. Students report that he said Chou will never be reinstated as long as he is there. The issue seems done as far as he is concerned. The parents and students, however, have a different idea.

Football player Freddy Reyes was identified as the organizer of a January 25th homeroom walkout. He told about how he was pulled into a room alone with school officials, and said, "They tried to make me admit the coaches were putting us behind it- and no coaches were involved."

The students felt strongly enough to organize a walkout of homeroom last month. On January 25, they tried to hit the school in a pocketbook that depends on homeroom attendance to get funding. Later, football player Freddy Reyes was identified as the organizer. He was pulled into a room alone with school officials, and said, "They tried to make me admit the coaches were putting us behind it- and no coaches were involved."

A group of students, mostly football players, marched on Yosemite Drive before the Saturday ERNC meeting took place. The signs read, "HELL NO CHOU WONT GO", "WE WANT OUR CHAMPIONSHIP COACHES BACK", "HEY-HEY HO-HO MR. VELASCO MUST GO", "STUDENTS VOICES ARE NEVER HEARD", "WE HAVE A DREAM- BRING OUR COACHES BACK" and "GET RID OF THE OVER LORDS NOW!" referring to the husband and wife team of Drew and Janet Lord.

I asked one of the protesters what it would take for him to be satisfied that things were again all right at Eagle Rock. He said, "Principal Velasco to resign or transfer to a different school and we get out coaches back. Our coach was fired for unjustified reasons. He was not just a coach, he was a mentor. He taught us discipline in life. He always referred things to working; to discipline for work, discipline for school. He taught us not only about football. He taught us about life. He was a great man." He was talking about coach Chou.

Eagle Rock Alum Leslie Puls said, "My son played varsity basketball and varsity volleyball, and coach Katto is one of the best men I've ever met in my life. I really attribute part of my son being such a good boy to him."

Parent Brandy Chavira was out watching over the protesters. She said, "This is about six of our coaches that were unfairly fired from their positions. And it's a personal grudge on the Principal's part, and the students want their coaches back. They love their teachers and these coaches kept them above average in their classrooms."

Parent Rosanna Rodriguez had a lot to say inside and outside the meeting at the education forum. Moderator Stephen Early, at lower left, wore three hats, as he put it. He's the Education Chair for the Neighborhood Council, a teacher at Eagle Rock, and the Union Chapter Chair for the Teachers Union as well.

Parent Rosanna Rodriguez had a lot to say inside and outside the meeting. "The coaches are their mentors, and that's what my son has really felt... he's taken it very emotionally. He sat there crying about the situation, and the fact is, my son doesn't want to play if he has to play for any other coaches... This is messing up the whole school year."

Perry Portier was another parent who was watching the protest. He said, "Well I think Velasco underestimates the parents, the community, the Eagle Rock community here. Because we're behind the coaches, we're behind the schools 100%. He (Velasco) won't take time to talk to the parents- they're messin' up their whole education."

At the education forum, moderator Stephen Early, wore three hats, as he put it. He's the Education Chair for the Neighborhood Council, a teacher at Eagle Rock, and the Union Chapter Chair for the Teachers Union as well.

There was some discussion about "District 4" a sub-district of which Eagle Rock is part of, but which practically no-one knows about, and the office of which is located at Wilshire and Crenshaw. There is little opportunity for them to be held accountable by Eagle Rock parents. He pointed out that the forum had invited district 4 superintendent Richard Alonzo to participate. Richard Alonzo did not attend, nor was he represented.

Board Member Yolie Flores Aguilar was also invited, said she would come, then did not make it saying that she had to cancel due to respiratory problems that put her in the Glendale Adventist emergency room the night before. She did send her Chief of Staff, Valerie Cuevas, to represent her.

Community members, who are very fond of her, were concerned for her health and called the hospital intending to send her flowers. They were confused when the hospital told them she had not checked in. She was asked about that in a later telephone interview and said, "Do you want to see my wristband?" I suggested she could fax it to me, but she seemed angry when she said, "I'm not going to do that... I can't believe the community is so untrusting that they'd call the hospital!" With that, she ended the interview.

As all the speakers wrapped up what they were trying to say, Eagle Rock Neighborhood Council President, and private practice attorney, Brian Heckmann volunteered his services to mediate the situation between the coaches and Mr. Velasco.

Eagle Rock Alumni Association volunteer, Rosemary Reader, asked Velasco whether or not he would accept the offer and go into mediation. He responded, "I'll bring the sandwiches."

A reporter (not from this paper) spoke up and told how Principal Velasco had had him ejected from the campus, while he was spectating at an Eagle Rock Football Game. "I was told I would be handcuffed and escorted out of the school in front of my mother..." He expressed his worries about the student's fear to speak. "It bothers me when these kids come up to me and say, 'I don't want to say anything, I'm afraid.'"

Velasco did not deny that he kicked a reporter out of an event that was open to the general public, and defended his action, saying he did that because the reporter was "disrespectful". However, he may have violated the reporter's rights, whereas California Law clearly gives the principal the right to have outsiders leave, it is only for the purpose of preventing or detering crimes. In fact, some seeking to enter school grounds are exempted by California Penal Code section 627.(3)(b), which states:

"The Legislature recognizes the right to visit school grounds for legitimate nonviolent purposes and does not intend by this enactment to interfere with the exercise of that right."

Additionally, section 628.8 (a) states:

"The penalties imposed by the provisions of this chapter shall not be utilized to infringe upon the legitimate exercise of constitutionally protected rights of free speech or assembly."

Journalists can only be ejected only if their presence causes a disruption, and there was none claimed or witnessed. There is no provision that allows a principal to eject a reporter because the reporter is "disrespectful" to him. From my understanding of the law, and I'm no expert, it looks like the reporter was illegally ejected from the campus by Principal Velasco.

The latest, as of Wednesday afternoon, February 26, is that Principal Velasco did not keep his promised date to enter mediation by the Neighborhood Council. The reason given, according to Brian Heckmann, is that it was being taken to a higher level, and an e-mail from School Board Member Yolie Flores Aguilar seemed to confirm that which stated that she, "... called for an immediate meeting with Superintendent David L. Brewer, Local District Superintendent Richard Alonzo and Eagle Rock Principal Salvador Velasco to discuss the situation."

It was assumed by some observers that because her e-mail stated she "... will convey my expectation that any escalating conflict be mediated within the next 15 days," that therefore Ms. Aguilar would be providing the mediation instead of the ERNC, but she denied that. She did not seem to even know anything about the ERNC offer of mediation, or that Velasco had agreed to it and then canceled it. There is now no known mediation scheduled to take place, although Brian Heckmann has committed to follow up on it.

Another Eagle Rock coach, Mike McKay, was called in to Mr. Velasco's office today to answer accusations alleging that he distributed a copy of an e-mail to all the teacher's mailboxes. It was an e-mail from Rachel Morton, a resident of Eagle Rock whose husband used to teach there. The e-mail calls the firing of coach Chou "cowardly" and described the situation at Eagle Rock High by saying, "...cronyism and nepotism are doing extremely well at Eagle Rock High School."

The situation is apparently far from being resolved.

Watch the marchers on MYSPACE

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