What, exactly, is Sheldon Berman thinking?
Now that PRP coach Jason Stinson has been found not guilty of reckless homicide, he thinks it’s OK to put the embattled former coach in front of a classroom and wouldn’t object a bit if some oblivious JCPS principal hires him to coach a football team.
Berman says he plans to meet with Stinson next week. Stinson, who was placed in a non-instructional position after he was charged, makes about $45K per year.
That not guilty verdict didn’t proclaim that Stinson didn’t lose his temper and take it out on a bunch of high school kids. It didn’t say that he was not guilty of running players until somebody quit. And it didn’t make the civil case pending against him go away.
Even Berman’s JCPS investigation found that Stinson’s actions were so atrocious that a whole new set of coaching standards were set up and new training is now required on motivational techniques in high school sports.
The verdict meant that Stinson’s action weren’t deserving of jail time. But that doesn’t mean that he should be unleashed on another public school’s students.
17 responses so far ↓
1 Freedom100 // Sep 18, 2009 at 1:40 pm
Spot on!!!! A not guilty verdict does not mean innocent- it only means that the prosecution did not prove the elements of the offense(s) “beyond a reasonable doubt”. Berman is hopeless.
2 MetroHack // Sep 18, 2009 at 1:49 pm
PRP would prob ably have him back……
3 Charlie Bradshaw // Sep 18, 2009 at 3:02 pm
I’d hire the guy. Everybody start running!
4 Steve // Sep 18, 2009 at 3:02 pm
“Ding, ding, ding … We’ve got a winner!”
Thanks, Rick, for your reality check on the cacophonous chorus that sings Stinson “did nothing wrong.”
Any teacher would be sanctioned or fired for disparaging and otherwise bullying students the way Stinson did.
I’m sure it’s less demanding to ridicule kids on the field — and not even pay enough attention to notice when they collapse — than to responsibly manage a classroom and abide by less restrictive and more constructive rules.
But Stinson has forfeited the privilege.
The trial has divided PRP and the greater community. To staff a man who obviously has anger-management issues among students who testified would invite more trouble. Perceptions of academic favoritism and disfavoritism — never mind the social difficulties — would make the collective head spin.
I’d like to hear Berman address the glaring double-standard between professional conduct on the field and in the classroom.
As a taxpayer, I don’t wish to subsidize those who would shatter high school students’ fragile self-esteem by calling them “cowards” and “babies” (and worse) — and imperil their health & safety on a sweltering day because he’s pissed.
The highest praises and lowest insults adults address to kids leave an indelible mark.
I don’t buy the argument a drunken friend made last night, that “all coaches are assholes; it’s their job.”
If assholism is acceptable to the JCPS powers-that-be, then maybe a school-tax revolt is warranted.
So bring on the civil suit. And in the meantime, tell your children, “You shall study until one of you drops out.”
5 Blowin' in the wind // Sep 18, 2009 at 3:19 pm
This is simply one more bad decision by Dr. Berman. How long is it going to take for the board of education to cut its losses with him?
6 Libs Whine // Sep 18, 2009 at 3:37 pm
Listen to the libs in here whining about everything again. Whining that he should have been prosecuted. I guess your hero of a Commonwealths Attorney didn’t have the case that you thought. Otherwise, if Stinson was the bad guy here and guilty like you say he is, they would have had enough evidence and proof to convict him on.
They didn’t have anything but the testimony of a few people some of which lied and told stories that weren’t consistent. It’s obvious that reading comprehension should be enforced in Louisville Metro because the people saying these silly things such as guilty, don’t have any more proof that what Stengel and his clique of hillbillies had.
7 Libs Whine // Sep 18, 2009 at 3:42 pm
By the way Stevie, lets see how long your school tax revolt lasts. I would almost bet that it wouldn’t be long before you were either in jail for violating the tax laws or you finally gave in.
Oh and by the way when it comes to your so called self esteem being shattered or the liberal whiny pants notion of shattered self esteem by overcoming adversity, become a man and accomplish a few things and you can tell us all about self esteem. Self esteem comes with accomplishment not a few people sitting around patting you on the back with group hugs telling that it will all be ok while your support group counsels you back to greatness.
8 Petergrand // Sep 18, 2009 at 3:46 pm
To Libs Whine – HUH?
9 Steve Magruder (I, not D or R) // Sep 18, 2009 at 3:49 pm
What does this have to do with “Libs”? I thought it was common knowledge that conservatives usually err on the side of the prosecution in criminal matters.
Further, accomplishment while being berated is of a lower quality than accomplishment while being inspired. Think about it.
10 syvyn11 // Sep 18, 2009 at 4:07 pm
I think that Mr. Stinson won’t be so lucky in a civil case. The burden for the plaintiff is much lower than it is for a prosecutor in a criminal case.
11 James R. // Sep 18, 2009 at 4:50 pm
This case has no winners for sure. It is simply a tragedy. That said, Stinson did nothing different than any football coach I had in grade school or high school did. All coaches makes kids run laps and sprints. I never heard of one that has not.
The huge difference is that unfortunately 15 year old Max Gilpin was taking growth hormone pills (creatine) and ADD medication.
Why would any mother and father allow a 15 yr old to take growth hormone pills which have the side effects that creatine does? His father admitted he knew about it. I guess I still am at a loss about that.
People have a responsibility to be parents first, the buddy part comes later.
Maxs mother said she wanted to raise awareness of the case. She has.
I would like to see a law passed in Kentucky that says no child can take growth hormone pills and play high school sports of any kind. If pro sports ban the stuff so should high school sports.
Then if a kid dies from running and a autopsy is done to show proof that the running is the reason, you can convict a coach. Personally, I hope Stinson gets a coaching job again. Alot of parents would be complaining if all coaches quit doing what they do wouldnt they?
12 Novena // Sep 18, 2009 at 5:01 pm
“Bullying Power, Leadership Weakness”
Bullies like Stinson are typically incompetent jerks who don’t belong in a school. They make students hate school–sometimes forever. Who wants their ridicule, their self-projections of hatred against our children? If Berman continues to allow such behavior, he is showing his own lack of courage and strength as an administrator–one who is paid to protect powerless youth from adult abuse.
13 Terry // Sep 18, 2009 at 10:39 pm
Stinson will not coach high school again. I agree 100% with this verdict but he is damaged goods. I do not know the man but his every move would be watched like a hawk and he knows this. Who would want to be coaching and looking over their shoulder every minute. He did nothing wrong but I know I would have a terrible weight on my shoulders if I walked in his shoes knowing a player died under my watch. You know this will be on his mind everyday for the rest of his life. Prayers to Coach Stinson and all the families involved. RIP Max.
14 Bigmeat // Sep 19, 2009 at 7:38 am
Football is a tough sport. I just think it was a freakish accident. It would have happened even if they where not running extra gassers. You have to be careful about what substances you put in your body when you are an athelete. That is why they say to consult a medical professionel. I would like to add this for all the libs who think soccer is a lot eassier sport. Soccer players are much conditioned atheletes than a football players. Go watch a soccer game sometime. How many soccer players have kicked off because they have run too much.
15 Rod // Sep 20, 2009 at 11:37 pm
I’m a very liberal Democrat and I’m not whining. I can’t find where Stinson was any harder than any football coach I ever had. The situation sounded pretty typical to me. I would like to hear from the other posters here what sports you played and how far you got. (Football through 9th grade and I was never in danger of making any all star teams)
I can’t imagine the emotional brutality of losing a child. Without a doubt this is a tragic situation but it was an aberration. My prayers and sympathy for everyone involved.
16 Brian B.Kelley // Sep 21, 2009 at 9:17 am
Having 9 years of football myself comes teamwork, disapline, and honor. Alot in this socity lacks these days. Pull your sag’n pants up kids it’s time to buckel down and get back to the grind. Coach Stinsen has that in hand, familes that let there childern play the game should take into consideration that this isn’t a sport to be taken likely.
17 Bill // Sep 22, 2009 at 3:04 am
Great comment Brian Kelley and others. People lack toughness and self discipline these days and thats why so many complained about someone being tough on kids. Its a lot different from cussing them out versus saying Come On, Run some more.
What American society is these days is a bunch of couch potato kids that want to do nothing and parents wonder why their kids are so lazy. No discipline of the kids, no parenting skills, just a bunch of kids themselves trying to raise other kids.
I’m gonna quit because someone said something to me. I’m going to quit because I sweat some. I’m going to quit because life is too hard. Which is why I seem to know a lot of non quitters that hung it out for years working their butts off to get what they got from life in any occupation. Like some people who I know that worked 30 years in manufacturing facilities in 100 degree plus heat making parts and cars that you drive around in air conditioned luxury.
Now spend some time in a facility where its 100 degrees plus in the summer in a part of the country with 60 plus percent humidity and tell me those people lack inner toughness. They do it 8, 9, 12 hours a day in many places. I know, because I used to do it while I was going through college.
It goes like that for a lot of people in everyday society. Life isn’t always fair and life is pretty darn tough sometimes but we wouldn’t have an America if we had a bunch of people who were quitters, whiners, and gutless wonders. But guys like a few of them on here, think they are really owed something without putting in the work and effort to see it through.
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