School Board Trustees Clash Over Head Coach Contract Renewal
 | Author:
Linda Kent, MT 43 News Staff Reporter
MT43 News Correspondent |
School Board Trustees Clash Over Head Coach Contract Renewal
Linda Kent
MT 43 News Staff Reporter
What began as a question of whether or not to retain head girls' basketball coach David Lawson in his position for the 2024-25 school year quickly evolved into a heated forum on the board’s priorities for high school coaches.
Specifically, whether the board should override the administrator recommendations for re-hire based on community feedback and trustees own evaluation of coach performance.
“I'll be honest every time this issue comes up, my immediate response is, ‘Okay, this again,’” board member Vanessa Flynn said. “I think this is the fourth time in the six years that I've been on the board, and it seems more often than not to be not necessarily a coach problem, but a basketball problem. But also I know there are legitimate concerns, and I don’t want to minimize” those.
Lawson is the second head coach this year to come under fire from trustees, despite a recommendation for rehire for their extracurricular positions by school administrators. In April, boys’ basketball coach Tyler Patrick underwent similar scrutiny. Both Lawson and Patrick waived their rights to privacy, allowing public discussion of their performance during open board meetings. Both Lawson and Patrick were ultimately re-hired in three-to-two votes with Vanessa Flynn, Daniel Truesdell and Jason Noyes voting for and Jason Kool and Chase Ragen against.
“I just don't believe that he's on the bus in this position,” board member Jason Kool said, following his motion to approve Lawson’s rehire. Kool made the motion as the procedural step needed to open discussion on approval of the position. ”I know we've had history and kind of some issues with the basketball situation. I just don't think it's the right position at this time. We definitely need to look at our hiring practices. But focusing on this position, I think it's not the right fit.”
“We definitely [make sure] the proper evaluations have been done and any areas of improvement or issues that need to be discussed have been discussed and thoroughly addressed by the current admin team and coach recommending team,” high school principal Sheri Heavrin stated. “Obviously, the administration, the [athletic director, John O’Dell], myself, etc., we are more than qualified and definitely more than capable, myself included, to interview, more than experienced to interview, make recommendations, and we do it the whole entire process with professionalism and integrity. We stand by our recommendations and rehire David Lawson.”
Board Vice Chair Chase Ragen stated his displeasure that Lawson chose not to appear on his own behalf to defend his performance. “More important is that I take these decisions very seriously. Whether it's a coach or a teacher, it's very serious to me. Setting emotions aside I ask myself, is this a first time deal? . . . With this circumstance, not to be tied in any way to the boys basketball program, there's a trend, and it's going the other way.”
Lawson’s attendance was not required, and O’Dell told the board he had advised Lawson not to attend.
Lawson’s wife, Jami, later read a statement from her husband thanking the team and stating his appreciation both for their growth as players and people and the opportunity he’s had to work with them.
Further responding to Ragen, O’Dell noted that the district’s hiring priorities had changed since the early 2000s, when the priority was on hiring coaches, many of whom were fired or left.
“The board policy states very clearly the chain of command about how we do things,” O’Dell continued. “I heard zero complaints this year. So, if there [were] complaints they did not come through me. They came in incorrectly.”
Several members of the community spoke about their impressions, positive and negative, about Lawson, including one current team member.
Before calling for a vote on the matter, board chairman Jason Noyes said. “As a parent, as a community member, and trustee I've watched this cycle that we're in. And we just go through coach after coach and I don't think it's for the right reasons.”
“I think we've lost sight of what extracurricular activities are for and I think our focus sometimes as parents has shifted too much to it's just about football or it's just about basketball. And it's not about developing young people into adults,” Noyes concluded.
