By Marty Mayfield
KRTN Multi-Media
Yes the coaches can keep their jobs and the district is doing it right according to Kathy Martin-Asburay an investigator for the U.S. Department of Labor, who performed an audit Thursday in Raton.
According to Dr. Neil Turhune, Superintendent of the Raton School District, Martin-Asburay interviewed the affected coaches and other district personnel and determined the district was doing it right and the district was not liable for back wages. Martin-Asburay indicated that the individuals who were performing their coaching duties were indeed volunteering, were not coerced into the job and are being paid a nominal fee. These three factors are key in determining if the district is in compliance or not.
Terhune was pleased to hear that the district is in compliance. He does however still have some concerns that he will bring before the school board at the next school board meeting. His concerns stem from how to supervise a volunteer feeling that he didn’t have the same discipline actions with a volunteer as he did with school employees if something was to happen on a activities trip.
He is also concerned with how to protect the district from someone claiming they were coerced into taking a coaching job. Terhune will also be discussing other ways to handle the issue with the hourly employees to make this situation work, one of which included a possible comp time solution.
Dr. Terhune will meet with the school board next week to discuss the findings and come up with a direction to create policies or revise policies already in place.
Does it Matter who really coaches these kids, I mean the majority of sports besides the Cheerleading Squad at the high school level are atrocious. There are junior high teams that are more competitive than the one Raton coaches put on a playing field or court
It’s a shame that the board couldn’t have checked all of this out before causing such a uproar. Our kids are in the hardest part of their lives right now just trying to figure who they are with out having to deal with school politics. Concentrate on keeping these kids in school,drug free & graduating. These kids are our future. Go Tigers…
Congratulations to all the coaches who were unnecessarily put through the meat grinder and made to feel unimportant. You deserved better and I am truly grateful that you all will still be able to impact some many young lives in such a positive manner.