Unhappy South Dakota parents take coach to court
 

I'm glad my parents didn't act this way......


Today's Sports Briefs

By From Staff & Wire Reports

PUBLISHED: January 2, 2007

Unhappy parents take coach to court
BROOKINGS – The parents of some Deubrook High School boys basketball players have taken a long-running dispute with the team’s coach to court.
The matter, heard Wednesday in Brookings by Circuit Judge David Gienapp, is an administrative appeal of the Deubrook School Board’s decision to rehire Darwin Hofer as coach.
Some of the parents have disagreed with Hofer about playing time and the rotation of players.
The judge is expected to decide the matter by Jan. 10.
One of the parents bringing the case, Tim Trooien of White, said the group’s main concern is Hofer’s coaching and the rotation of players. They say neither the coach nor the school board have adequately addressed their concerns.
The superintendent, Kevin Keenaghan, told the judge the team is winning, that no players are being mistreated and that seniors are not guaranteed playing time. He also said he’d rather the parents focus on academics with sports as part of a well-rounded education.
Meetings the disgruntled parents had with Hofer amounted to “tag-team harassment,” the superintendent said.
“Why should a person have to stand people questioning everything you do?” Keenaghan said.
“We value our educational programs here and take them seriously,” Trooien said. “The staff and administration are employees of the school district, which is property of taxpayers and parents who expect accountability. Unfortunately, some people seem to have forgotten that.”

Every now and then, I think I might like to coach. Thanks for knocking me back into reality.

I don't see how this case even makes it into court. What legal issue is at stake here? Why is the coach the target of the case, if the parents are unhappy about the hiring by the school board? Perhaps he's not and the reporting is just sloppy. I could see some possibility of suing the school board or the superintendent over the hiring policy.

I agree completely. I find it difficult to believe that any reasonable judge even scheduled a hearing before dismissing this sucker.

The way for the parents to "fix" this is to vote the people off the school board and then change the policies. Anything else is an attempt at usurping the electoral process.

If someone pays for the right to sue, they should have a hearing. To my understanding a hearing is where a case can be dismissed by a judge. The judge has to hear the issues at hand before dismissing the case. I am sure different jurisdictions have different rules to this, but you have to allow a case to take its course first. Also we are not hearing the entire story or all the issues at hand. It sounds ridiculous, but that does not mean that we all understand the procedures that must be followed.

Peace

Jeff, that's a fair enough point. But I'd say there ought to be repercussions for instigating such frivolous suits, some sort of compensation paid to the defendant and to the state to recoup associated costs.

Adam

That is a separate issue. But for all we know, this could go to court and the issues filed in the brief might have some valid point of view (from the law's point of view) not just the one you and I hold. Also what might seem frivolous to you and I, might be totally legitimate to others. All we know is there is a lawsuit filed. We do not know all the circumstances behind the lawsuit.

Peace

In my opinion, there would have to be something major not being reported contributing to the parents' distress. But by their own admission in the news story (admittedly not a definitive source), their concerns are about playing time and player rotation. Most of us played sports, and know there were parents who thought there kids deserved more playing time. You don't take this to court; it's a waste of taxpayer dollars and there ought to be some sort of way of recouping that expense.
Now, I'll concede that there's a lot missing from this story that could affect how I'd view it.

I'd love to see this on Judge Judy. :)

While I am the biggest proponent of waiting until all information is in before making comments or judgments, I'm wondering: can you give me an example of what fact is missing here that would justify a court hearing in this scenario?

I can't think of one.

I coached many years before I retired and got a real job refereeing. I was fortunate to have a superintendent who stated many times that we were hired to coach and they would not get involved in playing time or cutting of players. I guess it was a simpler time before the judges and lawyers got involved. All parents think their kids should be playing more. I was only confronted once by parents. I guess I was lucky and got out in time. BEREF, please keep us informed on how this plays out.

Unless said person is a referee! :rolleyes:

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I wish this would have gone to Judge Judy. Can't you hear the monologue that would come after she yells, "I'm Speaking!" :mad: This article shows a ridiculous bunch of whining parents tying up the court system with pure stupidity! Common sense is a rare commodity today especially when it comes to sports! This is a sad commentary!

This is not a sad commentary. You are sad having such a narrow minded view of the world and reality. Here's the deal for you that are still living out of the past. When you live in a school system and you pay taxes in that school system. You pay taxes for an athletic program which must represent the people that live in that area. However, some schools particularly in the metropolitan areas have circumvented the process and come up with this new term called the open enrollment process where any student from any local district can go to any high school they choice. This has created 2 problems. #1.)Increase the need for schools to win. #2.) Students from out of the district can transfer in and dominate playing time. That is play in districts where the tax dollars can come from a completely different group of people that pay the taxes for that area. Hence, the lawsuit. I think we should pay very close attention to this lawsuit. I think it is a legitimate lawsuit. However, some of these high schools have ties to DI colleges which makes this an even bigger deal.

Bovine excrement!

Tim, you are always so timid! You really need to learn to be more expressive, tell us how you really feel...:D

What orifice do you pull this stuff out of? Open enrollment isn't about sports, you moron. Sure, there are some side affects that involve sports, but I'm sure the idea competing academically hasn't occurred to you. Yes, it is a sad commentary that parents think their little Johnny deserves to play more. It can't be that Johnny didn't practice enough during the off season, it's got to be the coach's fault for not recognizing his enormous talent.

Sorry, but you don't know squat about the law. The US Supreme Court has ruled that the contribution of any taxpayer to the government treasury is de minimus and does not grant standing to sue that body no matter how that money is spent.

I don't know of any taxpayer that "pays for the right to have an athletic program represent them." That whole argument is absurd, like this lawsuit. Even if there are bigger issues at play, which I'm not admitting, they don't go to the heart of the lawsuit which is that unhappy parents have gone to court to try to get a coach fired over the way he coaches. That is the heart of the matter and it is unfortunately representative of our litigious, me-first society. These parents make me sick.

The court jurisdiction is an administrative appeal brought by the parents of the school board's decision to re-hire the coach.

From the Associatied Press:

Burt Rogness, school board president, testified that he and the board initially followed the recommendation of the parents and administration to let Hofer's contract expire. But Hofer got a hearing with the board, when then reversed itself and decided to renew his contract.

Hofer is a tenured teacher, and his manner of coaching is not cause enough to revoke his contract, the board reasoned. There were no grounds to do so, Rogness said.

That prompted the administrative appeal by Trooien and the parents.

That makes sense. Well, at some level.

Gotta love boards of ed.

Two words, guys: Ignore. List.

Hmmmmm
 

He's :

• A Varsity Official:p
• A College Official:p
• A Professional Official:rolleyes:
• A Supreme Court Judge:eek:

I wonder if he can forgive me my sins too.:D

I remember when my eldest daughter was playing basketball. As an officer of the Booster Club, I attended a seminar on High School Athletics. A State Supreme Court case (I forget which state) was cited that said (I paraphrase) membership in a high school athletic team is a privilege, not a right.

Who is the coach of this team, Norman Dale?
http://www.americanrhetoric.com/imag...sintroteam.JPG

Awwww, what fun is that? It's like a really bad B-movie. You don't WANT to watch any longer, but sheer morbid curiosity as to what stupid thing will happen next keeps you hooked! All these guys that keep bad-mouthing Old School are addicted to his intelligent commentary. They NEED it! :cool:

I did not say I was against open enrollment. I am saying it is being abused in sports, specifically for sport reasons. When you live and pay taxes in a community, and you go to a community event such as basketball or football game, etc. Some parents may like to see students from that community playing in the game. When the team consists mostly of players from a different community, which also dominates playing time. Makes for a good argument to me. I don't have an interest either way but I am curious to see how it turns out. Who wins this case determines the direction the school system/sporting programs will go. Remember, this is not college where the school can offer scholarships or the student pays tuition to attend. This is high school where the dollars to pay the coaches salary, play for the gym to be built, comes mostly from the community.

In Ohio, out of district students attending under open enrollment, must pay tuition equal to the tax receipts per student. There have been allegations (never proven) that some schools arrange for these payments to be made for the student's families. (no names please)

Every year, there are news stories of parents from the inner city being prosecuted for sending their kids to other schools without paying this tuition.

I think Old School should be given credit for continuing to post when most people know he is full of it. Of course I'm not going to give him that credit, but I'm just saying. :D

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1. This post makes just about as much sense as the Jerry Springer Show and should be categorized as such.
2. This post is as ridiculous as any post you have entered to date.... which is actually saying quite a bit.
3. Let me see, which metropolitan area is located in South Dakota and which school has close ties to D-1 programs?
4. Just because I pay taxes doesn't mean that little Johny gets to play on the HS team. Little Johnny might be lousy and the D-1 and NBA scouts are not going to be at every game waiting to offer him a full riode in college then after two years make him a millionaire so he can support me in my old age.
5. Antipsychotics are good for some parents when it comes to their kid and sports!
6. As for living in the past, or wherever it is that you beamed down from, you picked your name,OS, not us.

Perseverance in the pursuit of lunacy is no virtue.

And condemnation of such lunacy is no vice!!!:D

Apologies to Barry Goldwater.

I remember my senior year in high school -- i kept the bench very warm and after about 3 or 4 games of not getting any playing time I was upset and my parents noticed it. I wanted to quit but the time I put in to make the varsity squad was not going to be thrown out because I wasnt getting playing time. All I could do was what I could which was practice 100% and when I got in put forth 100% effort.

In all my years of playing sports any problems I had with a coach I had to deal with them and my parents made it clear they would only get involved if the coach ever crossed the line. Any participation issues I had I took it up with the coach and heard first hand what, why and how.

When I coached for 1 year and learned that I will not be repeating that again not 1 kid brought up any of their concerns to me but several parents did -- all this after I made it clear to all the kids (boys fresman) that I DID NOT want to hear their compalints and frustrations through their parents but would rather hear from them firsthand.

Parents need to learn that they are depriving their kids of a very essential skill needed in life communication, problem solving, and thier ability to fight their own battles.

Actually, the lawsuit is sponsored by Greenpeace. Since the team is the Deubrook Dolphins, they got a little confused.;)

Dolphins in South Dakota?

I bet that was due to one of the recent nickname lawsuits.

LOL. My money's with you on that bet, Jim.

01/05 - Deubrook School Board Wins Coach Dispute - 10:59 AM

Deubrook School Board Wins Coach Dispute

A circuit judge has upheld the Deubrook School Boards decision to rehire a basketball coach.

The ruling comes after parents of some Deubrook High School boys basketball players took the unusual step of going to court over a dispute with the coach.

The disagreement involves several issues, including questions about whether coach Darwin Hofer was giving some team members enough playing time.

After the school board decided to rehire Hofer as coach, the parents went to court, but Circuit Judge David Gienapp has sided with the school board.

what the judge needs to do is make all this lame azz parents do 20 suicides and 100 pushups and situps for their ignorance.

And then have them pay for wasting taxpayer money. At least justice was served here.

Somehow a lawyer is related to one of the aggrieved. Allegedly.

Those parents ought to be banned from attending home games. If they want equal playing time, they should google "Intramurals".