OT: Pine Richland fires Coach

[Fightingscot82]

The circus continues. Pine-Richland calls a press conference (happening right now) to update on the situation. They're either laying out their case for termination, offering a mea culpa and reversing course, or they're punting.

[Bart]

Thanks for the insight Bart. That is a book I may look into. I will assume "how good people turn evil" will have something to do with their power and control over others?

That's part of it, but also how are they influenced to carry out the malevolent behavior against others. Guards in the Nazi death camps believed they were being model citizens when they sent countless Jews to their death. How do we learn to hate the enemy, whether it be a lynch mob or rampaging soldiers? Others like Adolf Eichmann are what Hannah Arendt in the book Eichman in Israel described as very ordinary humans who simply follow orders without being driven by strong convictions.

[Fightingscot82]

And, in districts like P-R, you're dealing with some really powerful parents. It's turning in to a soap opera of sorts. If they re-hire him, ... wow. You'd think at that point he has a clear case to sue the crap out of the school district.

Spoke to my dad about this over the weekend. I didn't know that he taught Eric Kasperawicz at Shaler and worked with Brian Miller at North Allegheny. According to him, coaching jobs are supplemental contracts beyond the teacher contract. Kasperowicz is actually a North Hills teacher. His supplemental contract at Pine Richland is considered a fixed term (one year) contract and also considered at-will. Unless he can prove that he was discriminated against as a member of a protected class (extremely difficult for a hetero white man) he's SOL. He could sue civilly asking for damages but unless discovery finds conspiracy he's out more money.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Gateway head coach is chair of the WPIAL football coaches committee. He's requested that nobody apply for the job so that Kasperawicz is the only applicant.

I think if PR has something to justify it, they should go public with limited details. If they don't, they've gotta swallow some pride.

But this crap happens every few years. Probably most recently at Aliquippa.

And, in districts like P-R, you're dealing with some really powerful parents. It's turning in to a soap opera of sorts. If they re-hire him, ... wow. You'd think at that point he has a clear case to sue the crap out of the school district.

[IUPNation]

He's reapplied for the job. School board member has resigned. Students and fans held a huge protest rally on Friday.

[Fightingscot82]

He's reapplied for the job. School board member has resigned. Students and fans held a huge protest rally on Friday.

Gateway head coach is chair of the WPIAL football coaches committee. He's requested that nobody apply for the job so that Kasperawicz is the only applicant.

I think if PR has something to justify it, they should go public with limited details. If they don't, they've gotta swallow some pride.

But this crap happens every few years. Probably most recently at Aliquippa.

[ESU Warrior]

The actual Peter Venkman study was perform by Stanley Milgram who had regular people do the shocking, although no person was actually shocked. Phillip Zimbardo performed his experiement using Stanford students broken into 2 groups of guards and prisoners. I recommend Zimbardo's 2007 book The Lucifer Effect: understanding how good people turn evil.

Thanks for the insight Bart. That is a book I may look into. I will assume "how good people turn evil" will have something to do with their power and control over others?

[Bart]

The study is considered discredited in the academic & scientific world because its akin to Peter Venkman shocking people without reason and some challenge how evenly the "prisoners" responded. But as theory it holds up. People in power will abuse it if they're motivated and people who don't have power feel obligated to do things out of character.

The actual Peter Venkman study was perform by Stanley Milgram who had regular people do the shocking, although no person was actually shocked. Phillip Zimbardo performed his experiement using Stanford students broken into 2 groups of guards and prisoners. I recommend Zimbardo's 2007 book The Lucifer Effect: understanding how good people turn evil.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

He's reapplied for the job. School board member has resigned. Students and fans held a huge protest rally on Friday.

[complaint_hopeful]

This is a very odd story. I have been following it on the local news of KDKA and WTAE. The coach has had absolutely crazy success at Pine-Richland. He may not be a bad choice to hire as Pitt's next head coach. I doubt he could do any worse than those in recent decades.

I have to say that I was very impressed with how very well-spoken and articulate the young Rams football players are based on their being interviewed by the media. Smart kids.

Agreed on all. The kids categorically deny hazing in their interviews. Very well spoken. They consider him a mentor.

Firings are always tough as from an hr perspective you're advised to not issue statements on reasons.

So you have 1 side saying great things about him and his stellar record speaks for itself. Then on the other side...silence.

Surely colleges had to be looking at him as a HC candidate right? I wonder if PR was worried he would be leaving anyways? Not saying it makes sense, but some places like to act first.
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It's interesting...because for my work we do various types of eeoc trainings. The way kids were talked to in sports 20 years ago would be considered abuse now. There has been a major shift.

[IUP CRIMSON HAWKS]

This is a very odd story. I have been following it on the local news of KDKA and WTAE. The coach has had absolutely crazy success at Pine-Richland. He may not be a bad choice to hire as Pitt's next head coach. I doubt he could do any worse than those in recent decades.

I have to say that I was very impressed with how very well-spoken and articulate the young Rams football players are based on their being interviewed by the media. Smart kids.

[Fightingscot82]

Colin Dunlap just went bonkers roasting the PR superintendent

Brian Miller is a good dude. His dad was a legendary boys volleyball coach at NA. Brian was an All American on the volleyball team at Penn State. I stand by my case that they don't fire him without cause. Something inexcusable was substantiated.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Mark Madden has joined the outcry. Should be a great show today. He's already told the returning P-R players to form a townhall meeting (Hoosiers) and threaten to transfer to Terhune (Central Catholic).

No comment yet from P-R yet, btw. EK was fired by email. Classy.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Colin Dunlap just went bonkers roasting the PR superintendent

[IUPbigINDIANS]

The study is considered discredited in the academic & scientific world because its akin to Peter Venkman shocking people without reason and some challenge how evenly the "prisoners" responded. But as theory it holds up. People in power will abuse it if they're motivated and people who don't have power feel obligated to do things out of character.

The American prison system is a perfect example. The Stanford Experiment was certainly interesting. Now, if you ran that same study a month later with a different cast ... would the results be that extreme? I have my doubts. They had a couple extreme cowboys on the guard side for sure.