Parents question decision to hire out-of-district football coach; board responds
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Summary
A parent speaker, Jamie Ross, told the board she and other parents oppose hiring an out-of-district head football coach and urged consideration of internal candidates; board members said they weigh community feedback but ultimately vote their conscience on personnel decisions.
During the public comment period, parent Jamie Ross identified herself as a long-time Tunkhannock resident and said she spoke on behalf of several football players and parents who are "confused as to the direction the school is taking" in hiring a head football coach.
Ross said her comments were not an attack on the selected candidate but questioned why an out-of-district coach was chosen when there were internal candidates who had long histories with the program. She mentioned Phil Ross by name as a preferred internal candidate and asked the board to consider the program—s culture and continuity.
Board members acknowledged the public comment but did not enter into a question-and-answer exchange during the comment period. At the meeting end, a board member said personnel decisions are made by board members voting according to their conscience and asked the community to know the board considers such decisions seriously.
Other public commenters raised related questions about staff contract visibility and prior vote records; the superintendent clarified that Mary Jean Egan's title is "assistant to the superintendent," an Act 93 position, and not "assistant superintendent."