Parents, students plead with Norwalk‑La Mirada board to reinstate La Mirada water polo coach

Public commenters urged the Norwalk‑La Mirada Unified School District Board of Education on Oct. 13 to reconsider the dismissal of La Mirada High School water polo coach Daniel Benitez, saying the decision had been made too quickly and on limited evidence. Jennifer Earl told the board she represented many families and said the dismissal appeared “based on the testimony of a single witness and a single incident, not a pattern.”

Students and parents described the coach as a stabilizing leader. Brooke Godwin, a junior varsity water polo player, said, “When coach Daniel Benitez joined, things started to finally feel stable. He brought structure, enthusiasm, and energy to our team.” Jennifer Earl also read a statement on behalf of her son, Soren Earl, who described what he saw during the incident that led to the firing and said the coach “handled his situation with incredible grace.”

Speakers pressed the board for a fair review and for clear, transparent next steps. Several parents and players said they had submitted written statements from the coach and other staff and asked the board to allow the coach time to present context and witnesses before finalizing personnel decisions.

The public comment period did not produce any immediate public action on the coach’s status. The board later announced in closed session that it had taken an action involving a certificated employee (see separate coverage). The public speakers asked the board to clarify whether the closed‑session action related to the coach and to prioritize due process.

Provenance: topicintro SEG 032; topfinish SEG 1006

Speakers: ["Jennifer Earl (speaker 5)", "Brooke Godwin (speaker 8)", "Laura Godwin (speaker 9)", "Soren Earl (quoted)"]