Outraged parents seek answers from Fort principal
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By Corine Gatti
Published: June 16, 2008
FORT DEFIANCE — More than 20 parents gathered Monday night at Fort Defiance High School to sound off on the firing of wrestling coach Terry Waters.
Principal Larry Landes said he will forward a letter to Waters in the next two weeks explaining the dismissal. Parents will be more confident in the decision after the letter is released to the former coach, he said.
The administrator said confidentiality restrictions prohibited him from disclosing details in the meantime.
Still, parents pressed for answers.
“I didn’t come here to be pacified,” Mookey Wilson, a former athlete under Waters, told Landes.
Waters’ firing earlier this month has kindled an outpouring of community support for the popular coach who guided the Indians to a 231-65 record over 14 seasons.
Wilson said parents might consider petitioning the school on Waters’ behalf.
Landes was unmoved.
“This is not a democracy,” he said. “This meeting was not to entertain input from the community. This will not change my decision.”
The principal refuted speculation that school Athletic Director Jack Tucker had a part in Waters’ firing. Landes said the decision was his.
“Forget it, we want answers,” Wilson said, “but you’re not going to give them to us, because this wasn’t your decision. Jack Tucker is involved in this.”
Tucker neither attended the meeting nor returned phone calls after it.
Landes said the school planned to hire a new coach in a month.
“I can tell you he will have the credentials,” Landes said.
Jennifer Strother, another parent, said credentials mattered little in Waters’ case.
“This is political,” she said. “Nobody wants the other to do better than them. I think that’s what happened with Coach Waters. They want to homogenize sports and what happens in the classroom — lower the bar. Coach Waters is deaf and I don’t think that they wanted to take the time with him. It’s very easy to misinterpret something because of that.”
Waters has said Landes cited the coach’s lack of a relationship with other coaches as the reason for the firing.
“I told him how can I have a relationship with people who never gave me a chance when I first got to Fort,” Waters said in a June 10 text message.
Waters could not be reached for comment Monday.
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Posted by ( what? ) on June 21, 2008 at 3:17 pm
I’m sorry but how does that answer any questions?
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Posted by ( augcoparent ) on June 20, 2008 at 8:51 pm
Hey I think we have an answer to one of your questions. Coach Spitzer and Larry Landes were college roommates. Pieces of the puzzle are starting to fit together - so now we know why he is one of the good ole boys - are we suprised? Remember this is small town Augusta County here and everybody knows everybodys business - LIKE IT OR NOT!!!!
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Posted by ( augcoparent ) on June 20, 2008 at 7:34 pm
Ok we all realize Coach Waters won’t be back at Fort and who in their right mind would want to go back? But, we know he WILL take his talent to another mat and continue to use the gift that the good Lord has given him and continue to touch the lives of more wrestlers and their families.
So let’s move on to the next step. Is the rumor that Mr. Landes is bringing HIS people over to Fort from Wilson true? Well if that’s the case it would be much easier for him and everyone else if he would just go back to Wilson. Opps, I forgot did they say there was a lawsuit with students and part of the settlement was he had to move on? Sounds like something we have all heard before from the Grand Central Office - they don’t deal with the problems they just move them.Scarey thought huh?
Well I am hearing a new basketball coach has already committed to make the move. Now we are hearing the wrestling coach at Wilson may be looking to go in a “NEW DIRECTION” well there you go!!!! Fort is looking to take their program in guess what a “NEW DIRECTION” Bingo!!!Now it all makes sense - everyone wondered why he was attending the Fort football games? Maybe scouting???? Well let’s say not from a losing football team when he can see a winning football team play any Friday night on his own football field and he isn’t a football coach. Those around you aren’t as stupid as you may think we are.
I guess he is use to being in the HORNETS NEST so coming into a new one at Fort may not be such a challenge.
Something all you guys need to remember, those that making you take the actions you are will be the same guys that may make you their next victim.Who is next? Is it you? Once you have done their dirty work for them guess what they don’t need you anymore. Makes it easy for you to lay down and go to sleep at night I’m sure.
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Posted by ( virginiagal ) on June 19, 2008 at 12:39 pm
Sad.
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Posted by ( TIRED ) on June 18, 2008 at 4:02 pm
I ATTENDED THE MEETING WITH MR LANDES IN REFERENCE TO FDHS SPORTS AND ESP. COACH WATERS.FIRST LET ME SAY THAT BY THE END OF THE MEETING THERE WERE MORE THAN 20 PARENTS ALONG WITH PAST,PRESENT, AND FUTURE WRESTLERS IN ATTENDANCE AND SOME WHO WERE NOT FROM FDHS.I WANT TO STATE THAT I HAVE A LOT OF RESPECT FOR MR LANDES, JUST GO TO THE SCHOOL AND WATCH HIM INTERACT WITH THE STUDENTS. I FEEL HE IS TAKING THE RATH FOR OTHERS OPINIONS AND INFLUENCES. MR LANDES STATES THAT IT WAS “HIS” DECESION. HE STATES HE HAS BEEN AT THE SCHOOL FOR 2 YEARS AND HAS BEEN OBSERVING THE WRESTLING PROGRAM AND WHEN HE WAS ASKED WHAT HE OBSERVED HE ONLY STATED GOOD THINGS ABOUT THE PROGRAM.AS FAR AS WE KNOW MR LANDES DID NOT TALK TO ANYONE WHO HAS BEEN DIRECTLY INVOLVED WITH THE WRESTLING PROGRAM SO WHO GAVE HIM THE INFORMATION TO SUPORT THIS DECESION.MR LANDES WAS UNABLE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT HE MUST HAVE KNOWN WERE GOING TO BE ASKED. WHY WASN’T GARY MCQUAIN AND JACK TUCKER IN ATTENDANCE? THE PEOPLE WHO COULD HAVE GIVEN ANSWERS LET MR LANDES FACE THE “BLASTING SQUAD” ALONE. IT MUST BE A HORRIBLE FEELING NOT TO HAVE THE PEOPLE YOU WORK WITH STAND UP WITH YOU.IF THINGS IN LIFE WERE FAIR AND THE SCHOOLS WERE TRULY THERE FOR THE BEST INTREST OF THE STUDENTS, THE ADMINISTRATION WOULD BE “MEN” ENOUGH TO ADMIT THEY WERE WRONG,COACH WATERS WOULD HAVE HIS JOB BACK (IF HE WOULD TAKE IT)AND EVERYONE WOULD FIND A WAY TO WORK OUT THEIR DIFFERENCES AND TRULY WORK FOR THE BEST INTREST OF THE STUDENTS NO MATTER WHICH CLUB, ACTIVITY, OR SPORT THEY CHOOSE TO PARTICIPATE IN.JACK TUCKER HAS HAD A HAND IN THE DOWN FALL OF ANOTHER PRINCIPLE HE WORKED FOR AND I SINCERELY HOPE THIS DOESN’T HAPPEN TO MR LANDES. MR LANDES HAS MADE GREAT EFFORTS TO GET TO KNOW THE STUDENTS,STAFF AND PARENTS AT FDHS. HE DOES MANY LITTLE THINGS TO RECONIZE AND CONGRADULATE THE STUDENTS’ ACCOMPLISHMENTS. HE HAS MADE SCHOOL SPIRIT ONE OF HIS MAIN OBJECTIVES. HE HAS SEEN TO IT THAT THE SCHOOL BUILDING AND GROUNDS ARE CLEANER THAN THEY HAVE BEEN IN YEARS AND THE HALLS OF THE SCHOOL ARE DECORATED WITH ALL KINDS OF THINGS TO MAKE IT A MORE PLEASANT PLACE TO BE. THIS IS WHY IT’S HARD TO BELIEVE THAT AT THIS TIME WHEN WRESTLING IS ONE OF THE FEW SPORTS WE CAN TAKE PRIDE IN AS A COMMUNITY “HE “ DECIDES TO GET RID OF THE COACH. I THINK WE ALL NEED TO LOOK FUTHER THAN MR LANDES FOR ANSWERS AND SOLUTIONS TO THESE PROBLEMS.
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Posted by ( coyoteewoman ) on June 17, 2008 at 5:13 pm
First let me say I feel for the parents, being kept in the dark is not the thing to do by the principal or anyone else for that matter in the School System. I am sure his hands are tied because there is alot more to this. Folks we have a real problem here, its called the “Good ole Boy” system.
It has been working for many years in Augusta Co. What they, the officals need to know is that we pay their salary. We, the parents have a right to know what is going on. They need to address issues like Coaches cussing their students, drinking in excess to the point that the students call them Alcoholic ect ect doing it with them also. That goes on at Wilson right now and they the officials, don;t know? It is also stated by the students that their teacher is coming on to the girls to the point they are afraid of him.How about a teacher being rehired last year after being fired a few years ago from the same school because of taking indecent liberties with a female student and not just one. Their thinking well, he is married now, SO WHAT. How could this be? This goes on and nothing is done, incidentily the Coach is female and should have been let go.This poor man you are talking about gets fired and no one can say a bad word against him especially the students. That should tell someone something. The students have to exist with whatever goes down but, it is because of them that we the parents are concerned. I have respected Mr Landis, I thought he was a great principal at Wilson but I know from past experience they do what they are told and if not it’s their head. You need to look higher up to find the answers, and everyone in the School Board Office with any kind of Position of Authority needs to be replaced if they cannot do their job accordingly. I am sorry but that is the way it is. NO ONE will buck what they say because they are afraid of losing their JOB. Whats right is right and wrong is wrong and in this case I say lets get to the bottom of it all and give the Students, our children a voice and let them feel safe enough to say what is going on really. This man that is being spoken about seems to have done so much for the Students above and beyond. Whatever wrong he has committed it should have been overlooked like the rest or get it all taken care of, unless his job is wanted by someone else in “the family” of School Board Officals, If you are not in it strictly for the good of the students then each and everyone needs to resign right now. From the Highest of high positions to the lowest of low, they need to go. I hope the parents get the answers they deserve but I doubt it from what I have seen, best of luck and again I am sorry for the Students losing a great man, and for Mr Landis being caught in the middle as I know he is. This is a democracy but not where The August County School Board is concerned. The House needs to be Cleaned
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Posted by ( TOistheman ) on June 17, 2008 at 12:30 pm
Landes is wrong about this not being a democracy. Go to the next school board meeting and supervisors meeting if need be to express your concerns. If the school board won’t do anything about Jack Tucker then you need to vote for new school board members. Jack Tucker has to go. He has destroyed the sports programs at Fort. The funny thing is that Spitzer and Con can’t stand Tucker either. They just used him to do their dirty work. Take offense to Landes saying this is not a democracy. IT is! Talk to your representatives if you want something done! Go after McQuain. He seems to be fine with putting the wrong people in charge! Start with: David R. Shiflett
368 Patterson Mill Road Grottoes, VA 24441. Tell him you want Jack to go! Use the power of voting because this is a democracy. SBO link: http://www.augusta.k12.va.us/66879034105119/site/default.asp
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Posted by ( rls65 ) on June 17, 2008 at 9:55 am
Mr. Landes did exactly what I figured he would do at the meeting last night. He nodded his head like a bobble head and didn’t answer anybody’s questions about anything. I did meet a gentleman who had a student at Wilson under Mr. Landes and he was telling me about a lawsuit involving Mr. Landes and a couple of students there. Part of the lawsuit settlement was that Mr. Landes got moved from Wilson. I think the public would like to know more about that. This must have been a hush hush case since this is the first I’ve heard about it. I lost any respect I might have had for Mr. Landes after that meeting last night. It is obvious that Mr. Landes didn’t have any of the answers. Who knows if he even knows any of the answers.
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Posted by ( NoNonSense ) on June 17, 2008 at 8:59 am
I must say, after attending the meeting last night at Fort there is little doubt left in my mind that this was a shameful and cowardly act purpetrated against coach Waters. Mr. Landes truly came off like an elitest that did not have to answer to anyone including God.
All I can say is I hope Mr. Landes releases something in his letter to coach Waters that is concrete in his decision to replace him. Outside of some serious improprieties that we have no knowlege of it is hard for me not to see this any other way.
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