This morning, the C-J editorial board is calling for action from JCPS superintendent Sheldon Berman, who should have fired both PRP football coach David Stinson and principal David Johnson long ago.
We didn’t learn until Johnson’s deposition was released yesterday the extent of his incompetence in the matter. Loyalty to a wrongfully-charged employee is one thing, but participating in protecting him is quite another.
It’s also now clear from Johnson’s statements that rather than investigating and considering the possibility that Stinson may have done something wrong at the Aug. 20 practice, he took action to prevent negative comments about Stinson from other investigators.
From the C-J editorial, we learn that Johnson told a PRP resident that Stinson was hired because of “his strong Christian beliefs.” And that Johnson kept no records, no notes, destroyed incriminating e-mails and lied about the depth of his investigation.
A few weeks back, every local TV station covered the heart-wrenching protests organized by school supporters and church groups. The polishing of Stinson’s image included many references to his faith and how much everyone liked him. The idea seemed to be to present him to the public as some kind of sympathetic figure wrongly accused. Hundreds flocked to the protests and joined online support groups.
He may be a decent guy, but he also may have run Max Gilpin to his grave.
Johnson won’t get the same treatment, and he’s not charged with a crime. Probably a great guy, too. But let’s not forget that he’s got his own troubles, and that when good guys make bad decisions it should cost them their jobs.
6 responses so far ↓
1 citizen // Feb 18, 2009 at 10:31 am
Perhaps Mr. Berman’s “Care for Kids” program, that he has developed with former-Felner groupie Natalie Stiglitz as his national ticket to fame, should be directed at the JCPS employees first instead of at “the kids”. Lauren Roberts’ communication about “the kid” is just as deplorable as David Johnson’s.
Mr. Berman is not giving the job of being superintendent of this district his full focus as he continues to live in Hudson, MA with his family and having a temporary residence in Louisville for himself. With his exhorbitant $260,000 annual salary, we are paying a high price.
The real climate and culture of this district is becoming public now.
2 Gordon // Feb 18, 2009 at 12:13 pm
I didn’t realize he is still living in MA. He should have to be a full time member of our community. Fire him.
3 Steve Magruder (I, not D or R) // Feb 18, 2009 at 12:40 pm
I thought that discrimination in hiring based on religion was supposed to work both ways. Hiring somebody because they are a “good Christian” discriminates against those who aren’t. What happened to hiring coaches because of their actual qualifications? Coaches are not preachers, and they better not be proselytizing to the kids.
4 Sportschix // Feb 18, 2009 at 2:32 pm
If this were not so sad, the irony is comical.
Principal cheating on wife and family with CJ “alleged well known w_ore ” hires coach for his “Christian values”.
Then Principal fails or is incompetnt in investigating death of a student athlete.
And now we find out our Superindent communtes to town while taking home a nice salary. How could he give the full time salaried time he is expected while communting?
And what is happening to correct the scary and mismanaged event at Seneca High School, from ever happening again when the electric was out last Thursday?
5 Charlie // Feb 19, 2009 at 11:02 pm
Ran him to his grave? Sounds like a rush to judgement if I’ve ever heard one.
Also, Sportschix never made quite clear which electric part went out.
6 Daneeka // Feb 20, 2009 at 7:51 pm
>>>CJ “alleged well known w_ore ”
That’s brutal, unfair and unsubstantiated. Enough.
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