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Post by davepowers on Mar 21, 2015 20:50:03 GMT -4
Coach Rusty Smith was unjustly fired as Wrestling coach for Kent Island. He has been a huge inspiration to my son as well as hundreds of other young student athletes. My son has become a better student and respectful athlete due in part to Coach Rusty. Please pressure the School Administration to reinstate Rusty Smith immediately. This really is a injustice. Sincerely , Dave Powers
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Post by oriolesfan on Mar 21, 2015 21:36:36 GMT -4
What was he fired for?
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Post by rdkntriker on Mar 22, 2015 9:00:40 GMT -4
I also would like to know what he was fired for before I join a bandwagon to reinstate him
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Post by scenic23 on Mar 22, 2015 14:44:40 GMT -4
Tha coach was told "They" we're going in a new direction and want more teacher/coaches on staff" Problem with that is a Non Teacher Coach has the same rights as teachers, and he has never had any problems before.
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Post by deputy on Mar 23, 2015 11:03:31 GMT -4
Tha coach was told "They" we're going in a new direction and want more teacher/coaches on staff" Problem with that is a Non Teacher Coach has the same rights as teachers, and he has never had any problems before. So you know every single thing that has gone on in Rusty's time as coach? I know I don't. I've seen Rusty, been around him a little, seen a couple sides of him. We all have a couple sides, I know I DO. I'll be the 1st to admit I don't know how it works here, but I'd bet that a teacher has some priority over a non-teacher. I do know it's that way in other jurisdictions. I'd like to know more before I pressure anyone into anything.
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Post by cruzincat on Mar 23, 2015 13:09:06 GMT -4
Tha coach was told "They" we're going in a new direction and want more teacher/coaches on staff" Problem with that is a Non Teacher Coach has the same rights as teachers, and he has never had any problems before. So you know every single thing that has gone on in Rusty's time as coach? I know I don't. I've seen Rusty, been around him a little, seen a couple sides of him. We all have a couple sides, I know I DO. I'll be the 1st to admit I don't know how it works here, but I'd bet that a teacher has some priority over a non-teacher. I do know it's that way in other jurisdictions. I'd like to know more before I pressure anyone into anything. This is the approach that the folks in Ferguson, MO should have taken.
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Post by KITransplant on Mar 23, 2015 14:16:15 GMT -4
So you know every single thing that has gone on in Rusty's time as coach? I know I don't. I've seen Rusty, been around him a little, seen a couple sides of him. We all have a couple sides, I know I DO. I'll be the 1st to admit I don't know how it works here, but I'd bet that a teacher has some priority over a non-teacher. I do know it's that way in other jurisdictions. I'd like to know more before I pressure anyone into anything. This is the approach that the folks in Ferguson, MO should have taken.
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Post by scenic23 on Mar 24, 2015 12:37:05 GMT -4
I'm not going down the road of negativity. I have never met nor will I ever meet a perfect,one dimensional person.Every day I try to improve who I am and treat everyone with due respect. But I will not stand silently bye and watch Coach Rusty, walk this path alone. I'm a veteran, and by nature I will defend those who I care for and try to make a small difference in this world. Rusty is someone who I RESPECT because he care's my Son and fellow teammates.I honestly believe my Son is a better, well rounded and positive person because of parenting and Coach Rusty. So I must stand beside him.There is a meeting set up 3-30-15 at 5pm between the Principle,Student Athletes and Parents if you would like to know more...attend !Many Thanks for your time!
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coloradokid
New Member
Fuedin' Banjos - Come on Spring
Posts: 13
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Post by coloradokid on Mar 26, 2015 17:10:37 GMT -4
What was the outcome?
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Post by dfinlay4 on Mar 30, 2015 18:28:58 GMT -4
My name is dylan finlay and my high school coach from kent island was fired. He is a great coach and an inspiration not only to me but many others. He is a great human being always so nice to me and the other student athletes. He is like a father and I love him. I want him to be my coach for the next 4 years, bring him back!!
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Post by dfinlay4 on Mar 30, 2015 18:30:50 GMT -4
The school and the principal will not tell us why he is fired. Seniors complained because they don't like him, but they won't be their next year. It's all wrong please do something about it he's a great coach who wins state championships. Bring him back!!
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Post by thatguy on Apr 8, 2015 16:01:56 GMT -4
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Post by deputy on Apr 9, 2015 6:00:39 GMT -4
Still have heard nothing to sway my opinion either way. Seems strange to me. Also note- the comparison to Coach Andy Schipul is offensive. Rusty is NO Coach Schipul, Not even close.
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Post by Frank on Apr 9, 2015 9:55:32 GMT -4
JMHO - Why would anyone sign the petition without knowing any of the facts? All we have is your personal opinion. Does anyone have any of the facts? Usually when someone gets canned without any notice, there is a lot more you don't know.
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donlo
First Time Poster
Posts: 1
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Post by donlo on Apr 9, 2015 21:51:03 GMT -4
My grandson has been on the KIHS wrestling team for the last two years. I have attended every match I could and have heard about Coach Rusty from my grandson, as well as his father (my son), and others who follow the team. I certainly have not seen "all sides" of Rusty, but I have seen him in action as a coach, and heard plenty about him from those whose opinions I trust. Rusty has dedicated himself to our high school and the kids on his team for a number of years. This is not his "day job"; he is not on the roles as a teacher, but he has devoted countless hours working with these kids.
Coaching a bunch of HS kids can be frustrating, and is often a thankless task, but the results of Rusty's coaching are undeniable. Under Rusty's leadership the KIHS wrestling team has become a powerhouse in the State of MD, winning the State Championship in 2014 and "marching" all the way to the semi-finals in the 2015 race. In addition, there are a number of individual wrestlers under Coach Rusty who are MD State Individual Champions. These are remarkable....lifetime achievements for Coach Rusty, Team, and wrestlers. This is the stuff of legends and movies, and will never be forgotten by the kids and parents who were there. More importantly, Rusty's influence in the personal development, and maturation of these young people as they move on and up into life is the real contribution of his work. Rusty's wrestlers graduate from HS with improved self-confidence, fully developed self-discipline, motivation to face the most difficult challenges, and an ability to persevere in spite of difficulties. The community owes Rusty Smith a great debt for his work with our kids. So why did Rusty get fired? It certainly had nothing to do with performance of his major duties, and achievements as a Wrestling Coach. In a recent meeting with wrestlers, parents, and team supporters who complained of the firing, the Principal, KIHS said "its a personnel matter", "privacy rules prevent us from releasing details". This answer is classic bureaucracy doing its best at CYA. A decision was made at a higher level, which apparently now makes no sense in the cold light of day. And the bureaucracy will not explain it, "stonewalling" and hoping the controversy will die. As a result of this meeting, supporters will petition the Board of Education, and the "Reinstate Coach Rusty NOW" movement has been formed. A meeting with Dr. Williams, Superintendent of the QAC Board of Education will be held on Monday,4/13 with supporters hoping an outside review will rescue Coach Rusty. Ok, assume everything said so far is close to true. This all makes no sense; there must be a good reason for the Rusty firing. What is it that the Principal did not want to talk about? Has Rusty committed a heinous crime, and he is about to be put in jail? Has he been revealed to be a potential terrorist? Did someone find out he has a secret double-life? What did Rusty do to warrant firing after achieving such success. Those who have watched Rusty, or know him, have no difficulty with this question. They will tell you Rusty is not a diplomat and does not suffer fools well. These personality characteristics do not work well in most bureaucracies.
Rusty is dedicated to his job and has little patience with those who seem to think they know better than him, and interfere when they really shouldn't. It should be no surprise that not all parents and students are Rusty fans. Like most successful Coaches, and most of the human race, Rusty is by no means perfect. Yes he can be abrupt and maybe too honest when a soft touch is needed. But he is our Coach. It's not that he is unreceptive, it is that he is all about his work and what he thinks best for the success of these kids he is responsible for. You may imagine then, that Coach who does not tolerate inappropriate, unnecessary, or undue influences in his area of responsibility, could get himself on the wrong side of those who hold power over his fate. But remember, such a great Coach will not be bent against his own will. Thus it is that this strength of Coach Rusty which led KIHS to storybook heights may be the very attribute that has caused his fall from grace.
The firing of Coach Rusty is a tragedy of the highest order for KIHS, the community, and our kids.
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Post by cruzincat on Apr 10, 2015 0:11:52 GMT -4
Sad thing is, if the system won't say what it is they fired him for, it looks to everyone outside the system that he did something to warrant the firing. If Rusty knows the real reason and it does not warrant being fired, the only way he can clear his name is to take them to court for unlawful dismissal. That might bring it to the public, but they could still attempt to have the judge put a gag order on the proceedings. Without a public statement or an ungagged lawsuit, all we can do is wonder and suspect the worst.
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Post by ravens20 on Apr 10, 2015 8:52:43 GMT -4
Has anyone... asked Coach Rusty why he was fired? Companies generally won't disclose why they fire someone, which is a GOOD thing. I'm sure he knows why he was fired, it seems very odd that no one wants to say exactly why he was fired.
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Post by kidoode on Apr 10, 2015 9:00:21 GMT -4
Its not a matter of "won't disclose" its a matter of can't disclose under the law. You and I have the same protections and rights in our jobs.
Don't the man, circumstances, or anything else, but will support personnel matters being confidential.
Doode
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Post by ravens20 on Apr 10, 2015 9:05:28 GMT -4
Its not a matter of "won't disclose" its a matter of can't disclose under the law. You and I have the same protections and rights in our jobs. Don't the man, circumstances, or anything else, but will support personnel matters being confidential. Doode Exactly.
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kix2
New Member
Posts: 3
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Post by kix2 on Apr 10, 2015 9:53:30 GMT -4
Lets get minor details straight. All HS coaches are on a yearly contract and must be renewed after the season is complete. The HS told him they would not be renewing his contract. Reason: The HS wants to go in a "different" direction. Many returning wrestlers ( overwhelming majority of the team) and parents where totally taken back and want to know why this decision was made. As far as we ( parents ) can tell, no rules where broken by the coach. If the coach broke rules/laws then why not just come out and say so? But the HS will NOT say anything other then "we want to go in different direction" That just doesn't sit well with the returning team. Some things you just have to be a part of to really understand. Wrestling is like no other sport in that school. That team is a family. varsity, jv, state champ, fish on the mat, veteran, new guy.......they all practice together as a team. They are known for working so hard others call them crazy. Rusty is the leader of that team. No question Rusty has those who don't appreciate his tough love style. He's a no nonsense coach who says it like it is and does not put up with any ones crap. To the returning wrestlers and parents, it looks as though that personality is enough to get you fired. Guess they want to take a more "gentler" approach to wrestling. As we speak the HS has returning wrestlers already preparing for next season ( which starts in November mind you ) wrestling at tournaments, camps, and clubs around the state. There's a saying in wrestling " state champs are made in the off season" Rusty has driven this home and has been a huge part of the outstanding work ethic instilled in our KI wrestlers. The team wants their leader back.
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kix2
New Member
Posts: 3
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Post by kix2 on Apr 10, 2015 10:40:12 GMT -4
Still have heard nothing to sway my opinion either way. Seems strange to me. Also note- the comparison to Coach Andy Schipul is offensive. Rusty is NO Coach Schipul, Not even close.Think you took that the wrong way. Simply highlighting both Rusty and Andy's outstanding records is offensive? I've Never heard anyone say "coach Rusty is like coach Andy" Thats absurd.
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Post by pineapple head on Apr 10, 2015 14:21:54 GMT -4
... Wrestling is like no other sport in that school. That team is a family. varsity, jv, state champ, fish on the mat, veteran, new guy.......they all practice together as a team. They are known for working so hard others call them crazy. ... The wrestlers all practice together as a team?! Wow, clearly they really are like no other sport in that school, or any school, or any team any where. I have no problem at all believing that, by comparison, every other KIHS sports team is a confederacy of underachieving and demotivated guys and/or gals that barely tolerate each other. (And it is fortunate, indeed, that no other team ever experiences coaching changes.) Hyperbole is best when you believe it! Showing appreciation for his service and success, without conspirational accusations, would be a lot more compelling than this unfortunate thread which is making a private matter public. I have a lot of respect for coaches, including for Coach Rusty Smith's obvious accomplishments at our school. But there is simply no indication of any wrongdoing here. Eventually kids must learn that change happens whether we like it or not (nor is it always bad) and life does not always meet our standards of fair or just.
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kix2
New Member
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Post by kix2 on Apr 10, 2015 17:00:17 GMT -4
... Wrestling is like no other sport in that school. That team is a family. varsity, jv, state champ, fish on the mat, veteran, new guy.......they all practice together as a team. They are known for working so hard others call them crazy. ... The wrestlers all practice together as a team?! Wow, clearly they really are like no other sport in that school, or any school, or any team any where. I have no problem at all believing that, by comparison, every other KIHS sports team is a confederacy of underachieving and demotivated guys and/or gals that barely tolerate each other. (And it is fortunate, indeed, that no other team ever experiences coaching changes.) Hyperbole is best when you believe it! Showing appreciation for his service and success, without conspirational accusations, would be a lot more compelling than this unfortunate thread which is making a private matter public. I have a lot of respect for coaches, including for Coach Rusty Smith's obvious accomplishments at our school. But there is simply no indication of any wrongdoing here. Eventually kids must learn that change happens whether we like it or not (nor is it always bad) and life does not always meet our standards of fair or just. and this is what I'm talking about when I say you need to be a part of the team to really understand. Let me explane. Most sports in the HS ( at least the major sports i.e. football, lacrosse, basketball and so on ) all have completely separate varsity and junior varsity teams. Some even have three teams per sport all with a different set of coaches. These teams play at different times and ride different buses. This is not the case with wrestling. Having new guys ( or jv if you will ) practice with starters, ride to the matches and all compete together builds a comradery that is hard to find in the other sports. No one is cut from the team either unlike other sports. If you are willing to put in the hard work and stick it out your on the team. I'm by no means nocking other sports at all. Its just the way the wrestling program is. Ask a wrestler, many of them play other sports and they will tell you. Its a team comradery thats tuff to beat. So yes, like I said. Wrestling is like no other sport in that school. And when I said "you really need to be a part of it to understand" Your smart azz post clearly demonstrates you do not.
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Post by bchevy on Apr 11, 2015 20:23:23 GMT -4
Has anyone... asked Coach Rusty why he was fired? Companies generally won't disclose why they fire someone, which is a GOOD thing. I'm sure he knows why he was fired, it seems very odd that no one wants to say exactly why he was fired. Rusty seems to be very quiet on the issue. A trait that he's not know for. There is certainly more to this story, and I'm sure it's none of anyone's business but the BOE and Rusty.
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Post by bchevy on Apr 11, 2015 20:37:06 GMT -4
Still have heard nothing to sway my opinion either way. Seems strange to me. Also note- the comparison to Coach Andy Schipul is offensive. Rusty is NO Coach Schipul, Not even close.Think you took that the wrong way. Simply highlighting both Rusty and Andy's outstanding records is offensive? I've Never heard anyone say "coach Rusty is like coach Andy" Thats absurd. There is certainly a comparison on the petition site. Plain as day for all to see. I was around for Coach Andy and through Rusty's tenure. There are a whole lot of ASSumptions being posted here by folks who are not in the know and are only guessing. To say there are no blemishes on someones record is just foolishness unless of course you've seen the record, which I doubt. Lets not forget that Rusty had the distinct and 1st time pleasure of a KI Wrestling coach of having many wrestlers that came through the rec. league systems, systems that were not around for past coaches to take advantage of. The comments made about being an inspiration, a leader, a mentor, making our sons better students, have all been said for prior coaches at KI and other schools. It's what they do. I know my son would not be who he is today without Coach Andy, Sof, and many other great teacher/coaches at KIHS. If the coaches aren't loved and respected the programs would not survive, yet alone fourish like ours have.
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