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Parents and coaches raise alarm over suspended coaches, missing equipment and girls' changing-room privacy
Summary
Multiple speakers told the board that football coaches have been suspended and teams left in limbo since November, equipment and banquet plans are unresolved, and that girls' winter sports were denied locker-room access, leaving students to change where they could be visible to cameras.
Parents and community members told the Newburgh City School District board on Feb. 11 that district athletic programs have been disrupted by administrative decisions and that the district must act to protect students and restore programs.
Several parents said football coaches and staff have been barred from contact with players since Nov. 5 and remain in limbo. Jeff Ehlers called the prolonged restrictions “unfair punishment” that has disrupted recruiting opportunities and the programs’ operations; he said college recruiters have moved on and some student athletes may have missed scholarship opportunities. Ehlers urged immediate reinstatement of coaches and return of equipment for reconditioning.
Nut Graf: The concerns raised at the podium include personnel restrictions that parents say have sidelined coaching staffs, possible loss of scholarship opportunities for athletes, and safety and privacy problems for girls’ winter sports teams who, speakers said, were locked out of renovated locker rooms.
Parents also described a serious privacy risk for girls basketball players. Erica Perez said the athletic director required girls to change in the gym or in a classroom with exterior windows that she said had no coverings — exposing minors to potential recording. “We just turned our girls into victims,” Perez said. She asked why security staff could not provide supervision at the locker-room doors or other reasonable accommodation. The district’s general counsel, Mr. Shaw, later said the security office would investigate the allegation that security staff viewed recordings of students and added there was “no evidence” at that time that staff had watched naked students; he said the district would inquire further.
Parents also raised equipment and banquet questions: Ehlers said thousands of dollars of equipment remain uncollected for reconditioning and that some coaches were blocked from spring positions after being long-time volunteers; he pressed the district for clarity about the timeline and condition of equipment.
Ending: The board did not take immediate public action on personnel matters during the meeting; several parents said they would return if problems were not resolved. District counsel indicated an inquiry into camera recordings and security practices; parents asked for faster communication and restoration of programs where appropriate.
