kaorder1999
03-29-2007, 10:55 AM
Wednesday, March 28, 2007 2:00 PM CDT
From the Mt. Pleasant Daily Tribune
PITTSBURG --- In front of a standing-room only crowd, members of the Camp County NAACP chapter spoke out in support of Pittsburg High School Athletic Director Lawrence Cleveland Tuesday as he faces uncertainty over his contract renewal.
At a special called board meeting, three members of the chapter addressed the contract situation of Cleveland, who apparently is facing reassignment. Cleveland, who also serves as head football coach, also spoke at the hour and a half meeting.
"There are always two sides to every story. Until you hear coach Cleveland's responses, do not pass judgment on him," Patrick Lloyd pleaded with trustees.
Lloyd is president of the local NAACP chapter and pastor of Metropolitan Missionary Baptist Church. He along with Thomas Hill and Darnell Thomas spoke at the meeting in defense of Cleveland.
No action was taken to renew Cleveland's contract, which has a year remaining. Chapter members and Cleveland addressed concerns that the contract has not been renewed and rumors of him being reassigned to another position within the district.
"If you reassign me, I'm fine with that but I know it's not right," said Cleveland, who was promoted to head football coach last May.
"I have been here 29 years. I stayed here for a reason and that's because I love these kids. If you didn't have complaint with me all those years, then why do you now?" he asked. "I have done everything you have asked me to do."
PISD Superintendent Judy Pollan asserted during her report that Cleveland has failed to be an effective leader and cited a number of instances where he allegedly didn't do his job in a timely manner.
Among those instances were failure to get the football field painted in time to play the first home soccer game, discipline problems within the basketball program, failure to lock the locker rooms which led to purses and cell phones being stolen, putting inexperienced coaches in charge of the cross country and boys junior varsity basketball programs, failure to complete an athletic handbook in a timely manner and not meeting with parents before the start of the football season.
Other charges include telling boys they could play baseball without being in an athletic period, while girls were told they had to be in one. Pollan asserted that was a violation of the Title IX law.
"There is nothing about this situation that I enjoy," Pollan said. "My heart goes out to coach Cleveland."
She went on to praise Cleveland as a person.
"Coach Cleveland is highly respected and a valued member of this school staff," Pollan said. "Coach Cleveland's character and reputation has never been in question."
Cleveland responded to most of the allegations against him except for those involving cross country, the theft of purses and cell phones and the athletic period situation involving girls.
As for the soccer field, the wrong paint was apparently ordered which led to the delay. Cleveland admitted he didn't know much about soccer and said the soccer coach told him he would get the field ready. Cleveland added that rain and ice delayed getting the field painted in time for the home opener.
He also said there were discipline problems at games but that he couldn't keep the fans from flooding the court if they wanted to. He did say that he had a handbook completed by December.
Cleveland, in his first season as head coach, defended his team and believed they made progress.
"I have not heard one concern about our football team other than they are not strong. We were in every game we played at halftime and until the third quarter in most of them," said Cleveland.
Hill questioned board members on whether they had contacted a coach with another staff and whether they had done everything legally by state law.
Board members were in all agreement that to the best of their knowledge they had followed state law and that they knew of no contact with another coach.
"All we are asking is that you give him a chance to finish his contract," said Hill. "How much help was offered or given to coach Cleveland to help overcome his shortcomings?"
Pollan responded by saying she had numerous meetings with him and that he also attended coaches' school.
During his speech, Thomas also asserted that Cleveland deserves a fair chance. He cautioned the possibility of legal action if Cleveland was reassigned or dismissed and said that some students could stay home from school which would drop the average daily attendance figures.
When questioned, a majority of school board members agreed to support whatever decision made by Pollan.
From the Mt. Pleasant Daily Tribune
PITTSBURG --- In front of a standing-room only crowd, members of the Camp County NAACP chapter spoke out in support of Pittsburg High School Athletic Director Lawrence Cleveland Tuesday as he faces uncertainty over his contract renewal.
At a special called board meeting, three members of the chapter addressed the contract situation of Cleveland, who apparently is facing reassignment. Cleveland, who also serves as head football coach, also spoke at the hour and a half meeting.
"There are always two sides to every story. Until you hear coach Cleveland's responses, do not pass judgment on him," Patrick Lloyd pleaded with trustees.
Lloyd is president of the local NAACP chapter and pastor of Metropolitan Missionary Baptist Church. He along with Thomas Hill and Darnell Thomas spoke at the meeting in defense of Cleveland.
No action was taken to renew Cleveland's contract, which has a year remaining. Chapter members and Cleveland addressed concerns that the contract has not been renewed and rumors of him being reassigned to another position within the district.
"If you reassign me, I'm fine with that but I know it's not right," said Cleveland, who was promoted to head football coach last May.
"I have been here 29 years. I stayed here for a reason and that's because I love these kids. If you didn't have complaint with me all those years, then why do you now?" he asked. "I have done everything you have asked me to do."
PISD Superintendent Judy Pollan asserted during her report that Cleveland has failed to be an effective leader and cited a number of instances where he allegedly didn't do his job in a timely manner.
Among those instances were failure to get the football field painted in time to play the first home soccer game, discipline problems within the basketball program, failure to lock the locker rooms which led to purses and cell phones being stolen, putting inexperienced coaches in charge of the cross country and boys junior varsity basketball programs, failure to complete an athletic handbook in a timely manner and not meeting with parents before the start of the football season.
Other charges include telling boys they could play baseball without being in an athletic period, while girls were told they had to be in one. Pollan asserted that was a violation of the Title IX law.
"There is nothing about this situation that I enjoy," Pollan said. "My heart goes out to coach Cleveland."
She went on to praise Cleveland as a person.
"Coach Cleveland is highly respected and a valued member of this school staff," Pollan said. "Coach Cleveland's character and reputation has never been in question."
Cleveland responded to most of the allegations against him except for those involving cross country, the theft of purses and cell phones and the athletic period situation involving girls.
As for the soccer field, the wrong paint was apparently ordered which led to the delay. Cleveland admitted he didn't know much about soccer and said the soccer coach told him he would get the field ready. Cleveland added that rain and ice delayed getting the field painted in time for the home opener.
He also said there were discipline problems at games but that he couldn't keep the fans from flooding the court if they wanted to. He did say that he had a handbook completed by December.
Cleveland, in his first season as head coach, defended his team and believed they made progress.
"I have not heard one concern about our football team other than they are not strong. We were in every game we played at halftime and until the third quarter in most of them," said Cleveland.
Hill questioned board members on whether they had contacted a coach with another staff and whether they had done everything legally by state law.
Board members were in all agreement that to the best of their knowledge they had followed state law and that they knew of no contact with another coach.
"All we are asking is that you give him a chance to finish his contract," said Hill. "How much help was offered or given to coach Cleveland to help overcome his shortcomings?"
Pollan responded by saying she had numerous meetings with him and that he also attended coaches' school.
During his speech, Thomas also asserted that Cleveland deserves a fair chance. He cautioned the possibility of legal action if Cleveland was reassigned or dismissed and said that some students could stay home from school which would drop the average daily attendance figures.
When questioned, a majority of school board members agreed to support whatever decision made by Pollan.