Team Supports Coach After Controversial Comment

Friday, November 04, 2005

October 12, 2005 -- There was a show of support Wednesday night for a Valley coach accused of making a racist comment. Ron Gonzalez was removed as the coach of the Edison High boys basketball team after he was accused of using a racial slur.

After Wednesday night's school board meeting, it was clear who the players want leading them. But whether the school board plans to re-open the investigation or reconsider remains to be seen.

Standing together, several Edison basketball players pleaded for another hearing for coach Ron Gonzalez.

"He isn't the only one suffering from this, this whole team is, the community is suffering from this. I'm asking that you take this into consideration and give him an open hearing and give us our coach back," said an Edison High player.

Gonzalez was dismissed as head coach after he was accused of making a racial comment at a barbecue in Utah over the summer. And it's not just players, but students and parents who are outraged.

"There are a lot of teachers who are upset because we feel there has not been due process in this and we feel that there's been a lot of behind the scenes deals going on," said Edison High teacher Jim Davis.

Many who came out were at the event where the alleged comment in question was used and say Gonzalez used it in the context where he was quoting someone else and he immediately corrected the remark.

"Right after Gonzalez made the comment, Gonzalez told the kids right away if they took that the wrong way, that's not coming from him, 'so please accept my apology' and none of the kids took it offensive at all," said Cedric Ayers.

Teammates say while other schools are practicing and warming up for the season, they don't even know who's going to be their coach.

They say they are comfortable with Gonzalez, like his coaching style and want him to return.

Gonzalez, whose wife was delivering the couple's child Wednesday and therefore could not attend the meeting, sent a letter that was read by another teacher.

Edison High teacher Cortez Hill read the letter from Gonzalez, "The person who filed the initial complaint about the tournament in Utah wrote a two page letter explaining why I must go, just the first paragraph contains many glaring and false accusations."

In the end, the school board said they could not publicly discuss personnel issues, so it remains unclear whether the investigation will again be re-opened.

Gonzalez' parents also spoke at the meeting. They said their their son has been devastated by the dismissal.

Even though Gonzalez lost his coaching job, he's still teaching English at Edison, at least until the end of the school year.

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