Supporters rally for Lee’s Summit coach accused of using racial slur

LEE’S SUMMIT, Mo. — Dozens of outspoken supporters rallied outdoors the Lee’s Summit R-7 College District on Tuesday night. They are saying a coach shouldn’t be fired after utilizing the n-word when he repeated what a pupil stated for disciplinary functions.

College board members already determined if they’ll hearth soccer coach Joe Oswald or not, however the reply might not be recognized for just a few extra days.

“Do the best factor,” former Lee’s Summit coach and instructor Mike Spiegel stated.

The assembly was closed to the general public, however individuals got here out to indicate they district they don’t need Oswald to go and what occurred is all about context.

“What’s going on right here is unsuitable on each degree. Joe did precisely what they requested him to do,” resident Wendy Ferguson stated.

“He’s all the time been an excellent chief, instructor, and I consider in every part he’s accomplished,” resident Angie Neill stated.

Lee’s Summit R-7 Superintendent Dr. David Buck requested the board to fireplace Oswald for inappropriate conduct. Again in Might, the district stated the coach repeated the racial slur to a pupil to grasp why they had been being punished. Retired district lecturers stated that is what they had been skilled to do.

“I might comply with board coverage, and I taught within the district for 31 years, and for 31 years we had been supposed to put in writing it down, after which seek advice from the scholar to guarantee that it’s appropriate, so I might have accomplished the very same factor that Joe did,” Spiegel stated.

“We had been skilled to try this, and what saddens me is Joe was making an attempt to take a scenario that was inappropriate to make it higher to show them to do higher,” Parsons stated.

However Lee’s Summit father or mother Chris Jackson believes there’s no cause to make use of the phrase.

“It’s an enormous phrase,” Jackson stated. “I don’t know if it’s a fire-able offense. It shouldn’t have been stated. Proper now we have now racial tensions in america, America generally. It’s a extremely sensitive topic,” Jackson stated.

Protestors stated if the board determined to fireplace the coach, it might be heartbreaking.

“It’s not the best factor to do. It’s completely not the best factor to do,” Spiegel stated.

“His legacy’s going to be good, however the folks that have accomplished to him and handed judgement with out understanding him, they’re constructing a distinct legacy, and so they’re going to must stay with that,” Parsons stated.

“Let’s study from it. We now have to study from it,” Jackson stated.

The district stated it has three days to announce the choice. Earlier than the choice is introduced, they’ll converse with Oswald and legal professionals first.