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Parents and alumni urge San Diego district to revisit coach John Ozi termination
Summary
Dozens of parents, alumni and current students told the San Diego Union High School District board that the investigation and nonrenewal of Tory Pines lacrosse coach John Ozi was rushed and flawed, asking trustees to reinstate him or reopen the review to preserve student trust and due process.
More than a dozen speakers at the Nov. 20 San Diego Union High School District special meeting urged trustees to revisit the district’s decision not to renew Tory Pines lacrosse coach John Ozi’s contract, alleging the investigative process was incomplete and disproportionate.
“Coach Zizzy is the heartbeat of Tory Pines lacrosse,” said the first public commenter representing Taxpayers Oversight for Parents and Students, asking the board to allow Ozi to keep coaching while a fair hearing proceeds. Several parents and alumni told similar stories about Ozi’s mentorship and long service to students.
Mike Cudsel, who identified himself as a friend of several families, said he would have driven across the country to speak in support of the coach and warned that removing him would harm students and the program. “Everything that he has done is in the best interests of these kids,” he said.
Adam Fishman, who described himself as CEO of a leadership-development company and a longtime acquaintance of Ozi, urged the board to “revisit the decision with a complete investigative process and establish a clear investigative standard so future situations are approached with consistency and care.” He said students watch how adults respond and that the district’s handling had been sudden.
Other speakers, including parents Brian Brady and Brandon Roach, listed specific procedural concerns: administrators and investigators did not interview alleged subjects or parents, provided limited opportunities to respond, and used a sanction described by speakers as disproportionate. Roach said the district had not acknowledged sworn declarations submitted by the team on Sept. 25 and questioned the apparent proximity between district staff and CIF communications.
Henry Tangi, a Tory Pines senior, told trustees to consider the student-athletes who rely on the program as the board contemplated anticipated litigation in closed session.
The district’s agenda listed item 2C as "Litigation regarding a former temporary athletic team coach," and trustees convened to closed session to discuss it. At reconvening, staff reported there was nothing to report from closed session. The board did not take public action on personnel during the meeting.
What’s next: speakers asked trustees to reopen or revisit the decision, to adopt transparent investigative standards and to prioritize due process. The board received the public comments before entering closed session; no formal vote on reinstatement or personnel action was recorded during open session.
