Lincoln High School Coaches in the Press...Again

Lincoln High School, where Andreas attends, has had some unusual press this year regarding its sports programs. Or rather, those that lead them. Read on...

Taken from http://www.oregonlive.com/sports/oregonian/john_canzano/index.ssf/2009/04/will_lincoln_start_learning_it.html

Will Lincoln start learning its lessons?

by John Canzano, The Oregonian

Saturday April 04, 2009, 9:59 PM

The baseball coach at Lincoln High School resigned on Friday. Michael Todd allegedly accompanied three of his baseball players to an adult entertainment venue while in San Francisco for a spring break baseball tournament.

He will face a review by the state's Teacher Standards and Practices Commission.

First though, we've arrived at another one of those wonderful "teaching moments" from the educators at Lincoln.

In late February boys basketball coach David Adelman was cited for driving under the influence for the second time since 2005, and for that, he was not suspended or fired, or asked to resign, but rather, rallied around by school officials.

Celebrated, even, as a great coach.

Eek.

Principal Peyton Chapman said it wouldn't be fair to his players to remove Adelman because the playoffs were starting. And she pointed out that the criminal offense didn't happen on school time or with students present. There was more to be learned, she insisted, by having the students see how Adelman handled adversity.

And all of this slaps you right in the face when you see Todd vilified, doesn't it?

Now, understand, Todd's actions during spring break were a gross violation of his authority and the trust placed with him as a coach and chaperone. He allegedly took teens under his care to a strip club. The level of stupidity it required was unbelievable.

That said, unlike Adelman, he didn't endanger anyone's life.

Unlike Adelman, he hasn't been charged with a crime.

Unlike Adelman, this was a one-time mistake.

So which offense is worse?

Because Todd resigned. And Adelman made some public apologies, got supported by his principal, but then, privately joked to a peer that he'd like to go have a beer and put it all behind him. Then, he led his team to the state championship game.

One successful local high school coach said of the second DUII, "If that was me, I'd have suspended myself."

I suppose the larger point is that none of us should be surprised that a coach at Lincoln felt entitled to paint outside society's lines. There's an atmosphere of absurdity and tolerance that's been created by Chapman and a few blinded apologist parents.

Anyone who has ever played on an athletics team, coached, or even spent time around one, knows that every moment is a teaching moment. It doesn't matter if your athletes are present or not. It doesn't matter if they're witnessing the transgression or hearing about it at school the following morning.

I suppose it would be convenient if coaches could punch in and out of the job on some imaginary time clock. Lincoln created one for Adelman, who won lots of games and has a famous dad. I'm hopeful that's not the only kind of currency that trades at Lincoln.

Because Todd's resignation was a big move.

Coaches are always teaching. There is no "personal" time vs. "private" time debate here. If the principal at Lincoln doesn't know this, we've arrived at her "get-a-grip" moment. The teaching happens with every breath, and every decision, and every mistake. When you sign on to coach a youth sports team on any level you're accepting a deep responsibility, and your actions need to reflect an understanding of this.

Adelman is human. He'll do better, I hope. But I'm convinced if he does it won't be because he feels pressure or initiative from his employer or his responsibilities. There's something about that that feels twisted and wrong.

Todd resigned?

He did the right thing.

I'm not worried about him. Or the kids he allegedly took to the adult club. I'm more concerned about Lincoln. Because something tells me this won't be the school's last teachable moment.