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Coach Peter Gonzales urges San Bernardino school board to review districtwide rehire block
Summary
At the June 2 board meeting, teacher and swim coach Peter Gonzales asked trustees to review a district HR "do not rehire" flag that he says was triggered when he resigned; community members testified in support and asked the board for an administrative exception.
Peter Gonzales, a teacher and longtime swim coach who said he has spent 13 years coaching and teaching in the San Bernardino City Unified School District, asked the board on June 2 to review what he described as a districtwide “do not rehire” status that he says was applied after he resigned while completing credential work.
Gonzales told the board he resigned to finish his credentialing but was later informed that a rigid HR policy created a blanket block preventing his rehiring. “After 13 years of unblemished service and proven success, my coaching whistle is being taken away,” he said, asking the board and HR leadership to “look at the human element” and consider an administrative exception.
Multiple community members spoke in support. Luis Rodriguez, a former athlete who said Gonzales mentored him through a troubled youth, said, “We need coach Gonzales,” and described the coach as essential to the aquatic program and to students’ academic and personal growth. Former students and parents also described Gonzales as a tutor and counselor who helped students with math and life skills.
Board president Ceballos acknowledged the comments and asked Gonzales to provide copies of letters and additional documentation to district staff (“you can turn them over to Karen”), saying staff would follow up if needed. Trustees did not take immediate action at the meeting; Gonzales asked the board to direct staff to review his case separate from personnel actions affecting classroom positions.
Why it matters: Gonzales’s case highlights how district HR policy can affect extracurricular coaching roles and raises questions about whether rigid coding or automated HR flags can be reviewed to preserve experienced volunteer coaches and classroom educators. The board did not vote on the request at the meeting; public comment and the board’s invitation to submit supporting letters create a paper trail for staff follow-up.
What’s next: The board president offered to accept written materials and referred follow-up to staff; no formal motion or vote was recorded on the matter during the June 2 meeting.
